Scout Finch

When we first decided to visit Seoul, I did what any normal vintage lover does and Googled Vintage + Seoul. I do this every time we decide to visit a new place.  Normally I find a lot of references to fake vintage shops that really mean overpriced yuppy stuff that someone has already been through, hiked up the prices by another 40% and then thrown in some new stuff to flesh it out. Not this time, I was over the moon to find so many treasures and gems when I searched for Seoul. One place that sparked my interest was a few mentions of the Gwangjang Market. This market is very hard to find (well was for us) – first we got off the wrong subway stop. Turns out there is also a Jongno 3-ga station. We were meant to get off at the Jongno 5-ga station. Easy mistake, but boy was it a big one. After half an hour, walking around trying out our very poor language skills and me acting out charades for vintage clothes shopping (at one point it looked like I was trying to milk a cow while mimicking purchasing said cow!), Mr Ed cottoned on to the fact there are two stations. Back on the sub and we found it. However, once we got there it just looked like a large food market with plenty street food stalls, like any corner of Seoul.

The food markets downstairs.

Once again, ready to give up with a heavy heart, Mr Ed came to the rescue again. After walking up and down the market for another half an hour (the market is the size of a block), he spied some trendy Seoul hipsters walking up some non-descript stairs and decided they knew what they were looking for. With stealth like moves, we followed the poor couple who did start to look rather alarmed at how close I was following them. And then as we turned a corner, I felt like little vintage angels begun singing while strumming their harps. It was magnificent. It was aisle-upon-aisle of crammed vintage little market stalls.

Just a glimpse!

The whole top floor was dedicated to little vintage stalls, selling a mixture of genuine items, relatively newer versions, brilliant knock-offs and/or creations the store owners had created using different pieces. I was so relieved I nearly moon walked up and down the aisles. But the Seoul hipsters were still watching – and boy they are a trendy lot.  So I shook it off and began to act cool and did what I had been preparing for my whole life. Shop. And shop. Every vintage shop I had visited prior to this was just practice; this was truly the holy grail of vintage markets.

In vintage heaven

The prices were very cheap and the store owners (that we met) were very cool – one even went as far to tell me upfront a Burberry style jacket with a 50s cut was a fake just in case I didn’t know. I walked away with two funky Mad Men style shirts – with funky cuffs, a green flowy 40s style silk skirt and a cool black denim jacket with cool buttons. Oh yes, the store owners love bargaining and love the challenge. Go on give it a go! They are lovely and expect you to bargain. I could have bought loads more, but restrained as it was my first day in town.

Happy as well…you get the rest

I highly recommend you visit when next in Seoul. But before you do please read my instructions so you don’t find yourself acting out charades and stalking Seoul hipsters. Get off at the right station – see above. When you do get off at 5-a, head to the second floor of the market.  Exit 7. When you come out of the station take the first right and keep walking until you see the sign that says Gwanjang Market.

The map of all the stores

While inside the market continue walking straight through the meat market until you see the sign for the vintage market right in front of you. Take the stairs up to the second floor and ta da!

The hidden stairs that lead up to the Vintage Market.

The opening times aren’t clear as most instructions are the operating hours for the market downstairs. Happy shopping.