[photo from visitseoul.net]

Dongwha Duty Free Shop, opened in 1973, is the oldest duty-free shop in the heart of Seoul. The shop features around 250 of the world’s most famous brands such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Bvlgari, Salvatore Ferragamo and Ermenegildo Zegna, and over 300,000 different imported goods are on display and sale. Moreover the shop boasts exclusive premium jean counters for Seven Jean and True Religion.

A duty free shop easy to access

Dongwha Duty Free Shop is a convenient place for international tourists to enjoy sightseeing and shopping. Situated next to Gwanghwamun Station, Subway Line 5 and a five-minute walk from City Hall Station, Line 1 or 2, the shop is very convenient for transportation compared to other duty-free shops. It is within easy reach of the ancient palaces of Gyeongbokgung and Deoksugung (from the era of the Joseon Dynasty), and tourist attractions such as the Seoul Museum of Art and Cheonggyecheon (a stream running through Seoul and popular as a waterside walking route), making it the ideal place to enjoy both shopping and sightseeing at the same time.

Lobby 1 featuring well-known Korean products

On the first floor, Lobby1 features all the best-selling traditional Korean products including Korean ginseng, red ginseng, dried laver and kimchi (a traditional fermented Korean dish, made of vegetables with varied seasonings). These products are very popular as gifts or souvenirs.

In addition, there are various Korean cosmetics brands, and separate alpine clothing and jeans counters.

Lobby 2 featuring world-famous brands

Lobby 2 on the same floor houses a wide variety of imported designer brands, such as Rolex, Omega, Gucci, Dior, Hermès and Celine, and is divided into different sections, such as a watches, sunglasses, bags, including LeSportsac and Furla, accessories & jewelry including Swarovski and Tateossian. However, visitors should note that there are no liquor and tobacco products in the shop.

A Seoul City Tour Bus (www.seoulcitybus.com) departs from in front of the shop and offers three different tours; a downtown route, an ancient palace tour and a nightscape tour. These tour buses are ideal for all visitors, from backpackers to business travelers, to take a look around Seoul’s major tourist attractions in a short space of time. For instance, the downtown route lasts no more than two hours, and the ancient palace tour lasts a little more than an hour.