Seoul is a shopper's paradise, featuring everything from night markets to designer stores and bargains from sunglasses to electronic goods. Myeong-dong is the main shopping district, with large shopping malls, the original Lotte department store, side streets stuffed with stalls selling accessories and clothing and Namdaemun Market, Korea's oldest, selling everything from silkworm snacks to jewellery and leather goods.

For trendy and traditional clothing, Dongdaemun Market is the largest with 20 shopping malls (fashion segmented by floors), 30,000 stores, and around 50,000 wholesalers. The scruffier Itaewon is nevertheless the place to get a tailored suit. Try New York Tailor, 34-14 Itaewon-dong yongsan-gu.

Apgujeong's Rodeo Street in Gangnam-gu is the leading fashion mecca, stuffed with international designer boutiques, beauty clinics and poodle parlours, whereas the characterful Insa-dong is the place to buy traditional arts and crafts, clothing and antiques.

Seoul is a shop-around-the-clock city. Most shops are busy and open until 2200, most night markets open until midnight and some are open 24 hours.