Gift-giving season is just around the corner and in the midst of busy end-of-the-year activities and plans, one of the most difficult things can be deciding on thoughtful and worthwhile gifts for loved ones. Korea has so many different kinds of unique products and stores, we decided to compile gifts of different price ranges and types to help you in the decision-making process. Be worry-free and enjoy the gift-giving season this year!
We have divided the items into categories and social groups, but of course, gifts are not exclusive to one group!
General Gifts
OSULLUC Tea
One of the most representative tea brands in Korea, OSULLOC is known for their tea farm produced organically in Jeju Island, already famous for its beautiful natural environment. OSULLOC tea shops can be found in Seoul, and you can also visit the OSULLOC museum in Jeju Island. Find many different kinds of green tea and other tea products to give your loved ones! Some popular flavors are Wedding Green Tea and Samdayeon Jeju Tangerine Tea.
Misut Garu (Grain Powder)
Misut Garu is a powder made out of 7-10 different kinds of grains, such as rice powder, barley, black rice, millet, and more. Drinking this by mixing this powder with milk or water is a popular healthy beverage in Korea. You can easily find the packaged powder or disposable ones that come in packaged sticks at any Korean market or store.
Portable Fans
These fans are life savers during the hot summer days! These are almost a necessity for Koreans when they go to amusement parks or even just walk on the streets in the summer. With a USB charging cable, charge it pretty much anywhere and take it on the go while you travel during the hot summer!
Trainer Chopsticks
Perfect for kids, or just anyone trying to learn how to use chopsticks. These specialized chopsticks have grips so that your fingers can get used to the position of holding chopsticks. Daiso, E-Mart, Lotte Mart, or any big grocery store should carry them.
Books
A Team of Their Own by Seth Berkman
A Team of Their Own by Seth Berkman follows the joint North Korean and South Korean women’s hockey team that competed in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. It’s a great read for all ages.
Confetti by Andy Knowlton
Confetti by Andy Knowlton is a poetry book about travel and includes many poems from South Korea. Andy Knowlton is an artist living in Daegu, and constantly has many art projects going on around the city. It’s great for any traveler and for those who don’t necessarily like poetry.
Gifts for People In Korea
Korea is not particularly big on Christmas gifts, and most gifts focus on practical use rather than sentimental notions. So practical is the way to go with Koreans! Consumables, common items and more are below:
Stick Coffee
If you have watched any Korean dramas, one common food product is the stick coffee. Called “mixed coffee” (믹스커피) in Korean, instant coffee powder is in a stick-like package, and all you have to do is pour the contents into hot water and mix it. There are also products specifically made for ice coffee. Or, if you are not a coffee lover, there are ones for iced tea as well! There are different types of coffee sticks, such as America, Latte, Mocha, and more. Some famous brands are Maxim, KANU, and Lipton (iced tea).
Brands like Babinski and Lookas9 are selling “liquid sticks,” where concentrated coffee liquid is packaged in as tick instead of powder.
Easily find these in any supermarket or convenience store.
Hangwa (한과) – Korean Traditional Sweets
If you know someone who loves rice cakes, sesame flavored crackers, and other grain-based snacks, Korean Traditional Sweets (called Hangwa) are definitely something you should consider. Some of these snacks like the Yakgwa (약과) date all the way back to around the 7th Century. It’s made up of honey, wheat, and deep-fried in sesame oil. There are many others such as black sesame yeot-gangjeong, which black sesame seeds are toasted and mixed with rice syrup formed in a square shape.
You can find a gift set with a variety of different Hangwa in Duty-Free shops in airports and shopping malls.
Dried Seaweed (김)
Did you know that there are 200 different kinds of dried seaweed in Korea? If there is nothing else to eat with rice, many Koreans supplement it with Gim (dried seaweed) and find it very delicious. The four main types of Gim, one of them being Dol-gim that has a rough surface with holes, and Jaerae Gim which is flavored with sesame oil and salt. You can also find other flavors like olive oil, oven-roast, teriyaki, and more.
One different kind is called Gimjaban (김자반) which is crushed Gim flavored with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sugar. It makes a delicious garnish on top of freshly cooked rice.
There are also Gim that are produced specifically as snacks, such as Snack Gim. There’s different flavors like corn, shrimp, and more.
Fun Gifts To Bring To Your Home Country
Oreo Oz Cereal
Oreo Oz is one of the most loved cereals in Korea, and strangely cannot be found in Western countries even though Oreos are manufactured in the States. For this reason, Oreo Oz Cereal could make a great gift for anyone who loves Oreos or just chocolate cereal milk in general.
Green Tea Matcha Milk Spread / Injulmi Milk Spread
Matcha has been all the craze, and Korea has decided to make this rich flavor into a spread. Along with matcha, injulmi (인절미) has also become popular and turned into a spread as well. It also gives a rich, sweet flavor as its made out of roasted rice and grains. Find these in Korean supermarkets like E-mart and Lotte Mart!
Buldak Fire Noodles Sauce
The Fire Noodle challenge is infamous for using instant Buldak Fire Noodles. Because of the popularity and high demand of the sauce, the producer is now selling Buldak Fire Noodle and Buldak Carbonara flavored sauce, available in supermarkets like E-Mart/Lotte Mart. Now, you can add a bit of spice and flavor to any meal that you think will go well with it!
Gifts For Your Mom
Korean Silver Spoon Set
If you go to department stores, big supermarkets, or maybe even travel gift shops, a common object you can find are silver spoon sets. These spoons come in either simple or elaborate designs, and are a necessity in the Korean household.
Traditional Ceramics: Hangari (항아리) Ttukbaegi (뚝배기)
Korea is also known for their ceramics, like the Hangari or Ttukbaegi. The hangari is traditionally used as a container for food storage, such as kimchi and other pickled goods. We also see the common use of ttukbaegi in restaurants, where soup, stew, and other boiled goods are cooked and served. It’s a Korean earthenware pot, so you can use it to either cook and heat up stew/soup and use it as other serving plates.
Sulhwasoo First Care Activating Serum
Sulhwasoo is one of the most popular brands for middle-aged females. They have many products, but a popular one is the First Care Activating Serum. It has anti-aging properties consisting of 5 Korean herbs. It’s a bit pricey, but definitely one K-Beauty skincare product worth trying.
Gifts Those Who Love Alcohol
Hangover Cure Products
Korea is known to have a huge drinking culture, and the average amount of drinking is one of the highest in the world. For this reason, Korean pharmaceutical companies have concocted many different kinds of hangover cure products. You can easily find some version of these in your local supermarket, any pharmacy, and grocery stores.
There are beverage forms in marts like Korean Pear Juice (갈아만든 배/ 배즙), CJ’s Condition (Water infused with oriental raisin tree extract), 808 Dawn. Perhaps more travel-friendly are Samyang’s Sangkwaehwan, which is a sachet filled with Nerdz-sized balls.
Korean Alcohol
If you can afford some baggage space, Korean flavored beer, soju, and alcohol condiments can be a great gift. Mango Lingo is a mango-flavored beer that can be enjoyed by anyone who doesn’t like the taste of alcohol. There’s also so many flavored soju, but the Calamansi flavor is one that is relatively harder to find abroad, even the United States. There is also Calamansi extract, which you can pour and mix it with an alcoholic beverage to make the flavor citrusy.
Cute Soju Shot Glasses
In gift shops and even character shops like ARTBOX, Kakao Friends, Line Store, you can often find cute soju shots.
Gifts for Kids, Your Friend’s Kids, or Your Friends
Rabbit hat
Most of us probably know what this is! These extremely cute rabbit ears that flap up and down when you press the ends can make cute gifts. Easily find these on the shopping streets of Hongdae, Myeongdong, or any other street-shopping area in Seoul.
Socks
Just by walking around Myeongdong, Hongdae, Ehwa University area, you’ll probably encounter a few carts selling a variety of socks. Sometimes you can find cheesy graphics or even ones that have your favorite K-Pop idol printed on it. Korean socks are funky in their own way, and a great unique gift.
Phone cases
Korea is known for the variety of their various designs, so you can easily find so many different kinds of phone cases. There are even special ones with internal charging systems, cardholders, selfie-lights or mirrors.
If you walk around in shopping areas, you might pass by a phone case store. Or, you can easily find phone cases in Kyobo Bookstore, Line Store, and Kakao Friends.
Korean candy
If you are a fan of Hi-Chews, you should try Mi-Chews (마이쮸). These are more chewy and flavorful than the Hi-Chews you know, so if there are any Hi-Chew lovers, this would be something they could try. If you know someone who likes a more sour flavor, Saekom Dalkom (새콤달콤) is also a popular candy. You can easily find these in any market near your area.
Small hanbok dresses
Some stores like E-mart and Lotte Mart have a section that sells Hanbok dresses for the upcoming holidays. Since it is New Years soon, there is a high chance that Hanbok costumes are sold, and the ones sold at general markets are for children to wear. They’re beautiful traditional clothing, so it could make an excellent gift for your princess!
Stationery: Monami pens and Cute Stickers
If you just go into Hottracks in Kyobo Bookstore or any stationery store in Korea, there are so many kinds of stationery that your indecisiveness will come out. To shrink it down to simple things, Monami ballpoint pens and a variety of stickers can be great goodies. Monami is a Korean pen brand, and its trademark Monami 153 pen with its white body are used everywhere. Korea also has very pretty sticker designs with so much variety, these can come helpful in decorating anything from letters, cards, posters, or even laptops and phone cases.
Kakao/Line Merchandise
The Kakao Friends and Line Store are large and have so many goods printed with their trademark characters that these can be a great gift from Korea as well.
Matching pajamas (To wear with your S.O. or buddies)
The couple and friendship culture in Korea is very focused on visuals — you can easily spot various couple items or sets meant for a special relationship. Matching pajamas are one of these that you can share with your close friends for the next slumber party, or with your S.O. Clothing store SPAO often sells pajamas of similar designs for males and females.
Gifts for Parents
홍삼 – for Korean adults
Hongsam is Korean red ginseng, and has been a specialty good and sought-out product from other countries since the Joseon Dynasty. The liquid itself is bitter but it is known to relieve fatigue, increase immunity, and give you energy. Many adults in Korea and other Asian countries enjoy this drink. If you go to Duty Free Shops or hongsam flagship stores like Jeong Gwan Jang, you can find various packagings that are great for gifts. If you don’t like the syrupy taste, Jeong Gwan Jang’s Everytime come in sticks contained with liquid, and they’re packaged “one-a-day” for convenience.
Couple Pajamas
Why not one pair for your parents as well?
K-Beauty Brands (Categorized by general age group popularity)
And last but not least, K-Beauty! There are many innovative and good quality products. Here are just a few products and brands categorized by age group. You can also find our article of the top Kbeauty products here!
~20’s
Aritaum – Mamonde’s Hair Pang Pang (Hair Shadow Contour)
Too cool for school – ARTCLASS By Rodin Shading
Etude House – Play 101 Pencils
20s/30s:
Banila Co – Clean It Zero cleanser
SkinFood – a brand that sells interesting products using healthy foods
30s and older:
AHC – Ageless Real Eye Cream
Sulhwasoo First Care Activating Serum
The History of Whoo
Endorsed by Hallyu actress Lee Young Ae, the brand’s packaging design is noticeably elegant, while the quality is nice as well.
All Ages:
Innisfree Skin Care Box Set
Masks
Mediheal
Dr. Jart Rubber Mask
And these sum up some of the unique items you can buy in Korea to help you with the gift-giving season! Do you have any other ideas? If so, comment below the article.
