Shopping in Korea

Anyanghaseyo All!

Where is the night market?

As if my life wasn't already a comedy of errors, shopping here is downright hysterical! First, let me just say if you are an avid shopper Seoul is the city for you! There are night markets available for all of your late night fashion needs, some of which don't open until 10:00 pm. Now, in the U.S I'd like to think I'm an excellent shopper. I hit the sale rack, find something cute and I can be in and out in a half an hour or less. In Seoul? Not so much.

When I first arrived I managed to destroy a few pairs of shoes in the lovely typhoon weather, because honestly everyone must wear oxfords in a downpour. Shoe shopping was a fantastic practice mime session. For some reason the second anyone speaks Korean to me, every word I've learned goes out the window and I become a bumbling mess! It's frustrating because I've practiced!  이거 얼마예요? [Igeo Eolmayeyo? or How much is this, is something everyone should know. Instead, I stand their pointing at the object, smiling ever so slightly, before turning bright red and having the Korean woman at the counter giggle and type the amount into a calculator that she waves in front of my face.

"Oh, only 10,000 won" I exclaim (roughly $8.80). And in perfectly clear English she says "and we carry your big size.Are you a 250?" "Yes, I am," I say. A size 8. She smiles, shoves the shoes in the bag and sends me on my way.

If only all of my shopping had been so simple. My next stop was E-Mart, the Korean equivalent of Walmart, but much more trendy and with more free samples!Trying to enter the store was already a bit of a maze and being one of the only foreigners all eyes are on me as I slowly make my way in through the exit door. The security gaurd is polite and welcomes me to the store. She says something in Korean, which I can only presume is "can I help you with anything." The lost puppy look seems to be universal. I smile and mime out a shopping cart and she produces one quickly, like an NYC street magician. I nod and manage to stammer out kamsahamnida (thank you). She seems satisfied with my attempt.

The days trip is to finally find some sheets for my bed, so I can stop living A La Trainspotting! Now I've heard that Western bedding can be expensive, but there is no way I was prepared for the prices I found. One fitted sheet averaged 54,000 Won. I frantically scanned the sheleves for something less, before coming across a hideous red and orange Island print fitted sheet. I shook the package hoping it contained a flat sheet and some pillow cases as Korean shopping is always full of surprises.After realizing I have been in the same section for literally an hour and a half I begin snatching mismatch bedding from the shelves and make my way to the home decoration section. It is a battle to fit my cart down the aisle and I can't help but feel like I am being challenged by the folks in the store. I stop to grab some batteries and someone pushes their cart right in front of where I am standing and begins slowly searching the rack. It takes me a while to realize that people here aren't doing it intentionally they are just not as self aware as the shoppers I have met in the U.S. I squeeze my way between the carts and shimmy over to the batteries. There are so many selections. I reach for one and a woman taps my hand. She hands me a different package "these better" she says and smiles. I thank her and race or the front.

The checkout line seemed mildly less daunting, until the woman at the checkout scanned a few items and set them aside. "Oh, I'd like those" I said. She made an "x" with her hand and mumbled something quickly in Korean. "No, but I want those" I exclaimed. Again, she made an "x" and it was clear I was not going to get them. The total read "80,000 won" and I went to place my card in the machine" "Anio" she yelled. "Uh, I don't understand" Again, I tried to place the card in the machine. She ran around the front of the register in a hurry, I imagine if she had been in the Olympics she would have cleared it, no problem. "give your card" she said, snatching it from my hands and giving me a cool smile. Apparently she needed to run it herself. I started to enter my pin and she smacked my hands "no type" she said and printed a reciept, waving me out the door. Next time, I think I'll pay in cash!