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Skin, K-beauty, Korea trips and the beauty industry — ask and share
Shopping in Myeong-dong
Myeong-dong is regaining its former fame as major brands aggressively open key stores in the commercial district. The area becomes even busier when Japan’s Golden Week begins in late April and early May. Lotte Department
0 0Korean skincare tried on sensitive skin: which ones got a yes, which got a no?
On Taiwan's PTT forum (BeautySalon board), someone with sensitive skin shared their verdicts. They used to prefer Japanese brands for their many gentle options, but over the past year or two had tried Korean products and
0 1Princess packaging, witch concepts, fruit tubes: miss "old K-beauty"?
A nostalgic post in r/AsianBeauty from a Korean user who grew up with these brands. They miss the K-beauty of around 2012–2013: Skinfood's fruit-shaped hand creams and food theme, cupcake lip balms, Etude's princess look
0 1Got sunburnt at the Fan Fest: which sunscreen isn't greasy or white?
On r/mexico, someone said they got sunburnt at the World Cup Fan Fest and asked for an everyday face sunscreen that doesn't leave skin greasy or white, ideally one sold at the supermarket. What the replies said: Tocobo,
0 0Incheon Airport duty-free beauty: where to pick up what you pre-ordered
If you pre-ordered cosmetics or perfume from a Korean duty-free operator before your flight out of Incheon, this is the practical guide to actually collecting it: which pickup counter, on which floor, in which terminal,
0 0Mostly indoors in Malaysia: is SPF30 enough, and why does sunscreen sting?
On Lowyat, Malaysia's big tech-and-everything forum, someone who spends most of the day indoors wanted to switch from an SPF50 to an SPF30 with a budget of around RM60. The reason: by afternoon their eyes started to hurt
0 1Seongsu Handmade Shoe Street
A short distance from Seongsu Station on Subway Line 2, Seongsu Handmade Shoe Street stands as Korea’s largest handmade shoe industry district. It is also the country’s biggest handmade shoe production center, with 70% o
0 0Is Qoo10 safe? Worried about fakes, Japanese users say: stick to official shops
In March 2025, a "How is Qoo10?" thread went up on Girls Channel, a large Japanese women's forum. The poster wanted a pair of shoes and was unsure about signing up. It drew over 90 comments. What the replies said Some ai
0 0Olive Young opens its first US store in Pasadena: what it means for brands
CJ Olive Young opened its first brick-and-mortar US store in Pasadena, California, on May 29. Key facts 58 W Colorado Blvd, about 8,647 sq ft Roughly 400 brands and 5,000 SKUs across skincare, makeup, hair and wellness A
0 0Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch
Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch is modeled after a European style. The atrium on the first floor, open all the way to the ceiling, provides a comfortable shopping environment with a luxurious, modern European-s
0 0Leaving Seoul with one free kilo of luggage. What fills it?
Everyone who shops in Seoul knows the moment: the suitcase is closed, the scale says there is room for about one more kilo, and you are standing in a drugstore. Forum threads about Korea hauls tend to split into camps: S
Poll
One free kilo in your suitcase leaving Seoul. What goes in?
Pick one to see the results
0 0Damaged skin barrier: what should you switch your cleanser to?
A question on the beauty board of theqoo, a big Korean online community: the poster usually wears a mineral sunscreen plus cushion, removes it with micellar water and then washes with a slightly alkaline foam cleanser. L
0 1COEX Mall
COEX Mall is Asia’s largest underground shopping complex, with more than 260 stores. Like a giant gift box, it offers a wide range of things to enjoy and experience. It houses Megabox, the country’s largest movie theater
0 0Early flight home from Incheon: move hotels the last night, or not?
A question that pops up again and again: your flight leaves early in the morning, and your hotel is in the middle of Seoul. Do you switch hotels for the final night? The options people usually weigh Stay put and leave ve
0 0What's your beauty shopping budget for a Korea trip?
Planning a Korea trip always brings up the same question: "How much should I set aside for beauty shopping?" On travel forums, the answers are all over the place. The usual types: The list-maker: decides in advance what
0 0Monami Store Seongsu: DIY Stationery and Ink Lab in Seongsu-dong
Monami FACTORY, which first opened in Seongsu-dong in 1963, has now been transformed into Monami Store Seongsu. Here, you can get hands-on with Monami products and enjoy a more personal experience by making your own DIY
0 0Wearing orthotics in Korea: where do you actually have to take your shoes off?
A traveller who needs orthotics in their trainers asked on the Tripadvisor Seoul forum: where do you have to take shoes off, just the odd temple or every palace too? And would fabric overshoes worn over trainers be accep
0 0Adding just one thing to your winter routine: what would it be?
When the dry season hits, you want to change your routine without buying half a shop. Here are the answers that come up most when forums ask "one thing to add for winter": A richer cream: swap the light gel cream for som
Poll
One thing to add to your winter routine?
Pick one to see the results
0 0A suitcase full of Korean cosmetics: is there a limit on the way home?
This Tripadvisor Seoul forum thread is older, but the question still comes up before every beauty-shopping trip. A traveller planning four or five days in Seoul asked two things: are there sale seasons for cosmetics, and
0 1National Museum of Korea's own gift shop: what Muds is and where to find it
The National Museum of Korea is the country's largest museum, with free permanent-collection admission and Yongsan Family Park right next door, so many visitors pair it with the nearby Amorepacific Museum of Art in one d
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