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If you love toys or have some youngsters running around the house, you’ll really want visit Dongdaemun Toy and Stationery Street.
You’ll see the most toys you’ve ever seen in your life. And, most importantly, you’ll be able to buy them at unbelievably low prices! It is really the perfect place to buy gifts for the holidays.
I love wandering this street because it reminds me of my childhood. During the Christmas season as a child, I desperately prayed to get the gifts I wanted.
“Jesus, Buddha, Allah, whoever listens to me, please tell Santa to give me a princess play set or kitchen play toys,” I pleaded. “I’ve been a good kid!”
At the time, Korea was in the midst of a big financial crisis, which brought economic woes to my country. My family suffered through some tough times, just like most Koreans did. Because of that, I could never tell my parents to buy me such big toys, so I secretly prayed to all the gods I knew every night before Christmas. Looking back, it is a funny and sad memory.
Dongdaemun Toy and Stationery Street literally brings me back to that age. I feel so happy, and I just want to buy all the toys I sought as a child.
This special street will bring a lot of excitement to not only children but also grown-ups. For your children, it will be the ultimate toy hunt. For you, it will remind you of some special childhood memories.
Make a pact with your children
If you plan to bring your children shopping, I recommend making a deal with them on how many toys they can get or how much money can be spent. Everywhere on this street, you will see excited children urging their parents to get more toys and dragging them from store to store. That will be you and your child. I guarantee it. So, make a pact with them before you hit the street.
More than stationery!
In Korea, stationery shops not only sell basic stationery, but also accessories, kitchen appliances, home decorations, toys and much more.
Types of toys: There are tons of cute, fun toys, including figures of movie heroes and famous animation characters, Legos, Korean dolls, costumes, and so many more.
Souvenirs: Each shop has some Korean-style items that can be good souvenirs: traditional fans, soju glasses, key rings, pens, steel spoons and chopsticks sets, stationery and more.
Things to know
Address: 21-1, Jongro 52 gil, Jongro-gu, Seoul (Line 1,6 Dongmyo Station Exit 6), NAVER
Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Every day)
Pop Quiz
In a recent Speaking Korean, I introduced you to numbers. If you are going to go shopping and use won, then you better know your Korean numbers. So, I wanted to give you a little quiz to test your knowledge. Don’t worry, we’ll do a short review first, and the answers will be on the bottom of the page. Try not to cheat!
Korean numbers (sino) review
1.
1-10,000
1: Il (일) 2: I (이) 3: Sam (삼) 4: Sa (사) 5: Oh (오)
6: Yuk (육) 7: Chil (칠) 8: Pal (팔) 9: Gu (구) 10: Sip (십)
100: Baek (백) 1,000: Cheon (천) 10,000: Man (만)
2.
Let’s practice how to count from 1 to 9,999
*You don’t have to say il (one) on numbers less than 100,000 (sip man)
• 1,000: Cheon
• 5,100: Oh cheon baek
• 32,500: Sam (3) man (10,000) I (2) cheon (1,000) oh (5) baek (100)
• 76,400: Chil (7) man (10,000) yuk (6) cheon (1,000) sa (4) baek (100)
• 99,999: Gu (9) man (10,000) gu (9) cheon (1,000) gu (9) baek (100) gu (9) sip (10) gu (9)
Quiz time!
In the popular Seungjin Stationery Shop, which is loaded with cool toys, souvenirs and stationery, the price is not marked on the items. If you want to check the price, you’ll need to scan the barcode.
How much is it?: Eolmayeyo? (얼마예요?)
Take a look at the prices for the merchandise below. Write down how you say it in Korean or say it out loud, then take a look at the answers below to see if you got it right.
1. Tony Tony Chopper: 21,000 won
2. Princess Tiara: 7,000 won
3. Korean Hanok Lego: 36,000 won
4. Dragon Ball: 86,000 won
5. Traditional Korean Fan: 15,000 won
Answers: 1. I man cheon won; 2. Chil cheon won; 3. Sam man yuk cheon won; 4. Pal man yuk cheon won; 5. Man oh cheon won
