The hottest swimsuits of the season

As summer rolls around and the weather grows hot and humid, the only thing that can beat the heat is a cool dip while donning a swimsuit. So, whether you’re headed for Caribbean Bay or Busan, SEOUL Magazine has got you covered on the hottest suits of the season.

[box_light]TEXTURE[/box_light]

Add personality to your swimwear by considering different textures. Show off your bohemian side with a crochet three-piece bikini from Wonderplace or add some romance by incorporating subtle lace.

FYI>

Price: KRW 36,800
www.wonderplace.co.kr, www.sunnyvill.net

Reflect your vacation state of mind with an exotic tropical print. As opposed to traditional floral patterns, tropical prints channel a more mature and dramatic flair. We especially like these bright tropical prints from ELLE.

FYI>

Price: around KRW 70,000
www.elle-shop.co.kr

Monokinis have been growing in popularity year after year. For this summer, abandon safe solid pieces and opt for more color and print, like this refreshing colorblocked monokini from Forever 21.

FYI>

Price: KRW 30,800
http://forever21.co.kr

Add movement to your style with fringe details. But stay away from looking too Pocahontas by choosing a bright color, like this one from H&M.

FYI>

Price: KRW 25,000 (top),
KRW 17,000 (bottom)
www.hm.com/kr

[box_light]RUFFLES[/box_light]

The great thing about ruffles is that they are always on double-duty. A swimsuit with ruffle details can add a girly softness and hide the areas you didn’t have time to work out. This
festive two-piece from 8seconds is especially successful at accomplishing both.

FYI>

Price: KRW 29,000 (top),
KRW 19,900 (bottom)
www.8seconds.co.kr

Bring out your retro style with an underwire halter top and high-rise bottoms. This classic version reminds us of an easy summer’s day on an empty beach.

FYI>

Price: KRW 46,000
www.thebeachshop.co.kr

Things to know:
1. Many Korean brands sell swimwear exclusively at their innerwear branches.
2. Dongdaemun and Namdaemun shopping arcades sell wholesale swimwear as
well as larger sizes.
3. If you don’t fear online swimsuit shopping, check out sites like gmarket.co.kr
or auction.co.kr for a wide selection.

Written by Monica Suk
Photographs courtesy of various manufacturers

There’s nothing like getting your nails done for changing your mood. Available in five shades of pink hues and orange tones, Flora Tea Nail Vita Alpha is perhaps one of a handful of cheap nail polishes that can be applied evenly without emphasizing ridges. Don’t waste your money and time going to nail shops; Flora Tea will rescue you from your dirty-looking nails.

FYI>
www.theskinfood.com
Price: KRW 2,500

Be pretty in pink for spring. Banila Co’s The Secret Marbling Blusher pairs perfectly with the natural makeup trend. This swirl of different colors gives a natural look instead of a made-up one. You can use it either as blush or as a shimmery highlighter.

FYI>
www.banilaco.com
Price: KRW 20,000

Gel-type creams are perfect for all skin types but especially for extremely oily skin or combination skin. Nature Republic’s moisturizing cream glides on smoothly and leaves no film on your skin, giving you a refreshing feeling. If you’re looking for something lightweight to use under makeup, without a doubt, this is going to be your daily item.

FYI>
www.naturerepublic.co.kr
Price: KRW 10,950

TONYMOLY’s gel eyeliner is creamier in texture than other eyeliners and glides on your eyes well because it has no shimmer. Of course, it will smudge if you rub it ferociously with your hands, but the colored gel will last and stay opaque until you remove it with cleansing oil. This is especially recommended for people whose eye makeup gets smudged as the night wears on.

FYI>
www.etonymoly.com
Price: KRW 8,500

It takes a while to find a foundation that suits your skin perfectly, but Hera’s UV Mist Cushion will definitely shorten that time for you. The mist cushion is a liquid foundation with sunscreen, moisturizer, and whitening functions. This amazing all-in-one product is SPF 50, good to use in both spring and summer.

FYI>
www.hera.co.kr
Price: KRW 45,000

CC creams are receiving the baton from BB creams to lead the spring 2013 beauty trends. This multitasker is typically useful for people who don’t have enough time to do makeup in the morning. The new 8 in 1 formula primes, conceals, hydrates, and protects skin. You’ll soon realize that doing your makeup can’t get any easier than this.

FYI>
www.etude.co.kr
Price: KRW 14,000

Innisfree is known for selling highly effective skin care products at reasonable prices. Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence is the latest product to firm up this reputation. The main ingredient, fermented soybeans from Jejudo’s mountain area, soothes dry skin and prevents wrinkles.

FYI>
www.innisfree.co.kr
Price: 80 ml: KRW 22,000 / 150 ml: KRW 35,000

Korean-made goods to take home with you

Written by Monica Suk
Photographs courtesy of various manufacturers

Seoul is a shopping paradise, with traditional and modern commercial streets alike beckoning visitors. Your vacation here wouldn’t be complete without a tour of window-shopping and local snacks. SEOUL has chosen seven affordable made-in-Korea products to ensure your satisfaction.

Socks from Socks Pill

Bored of wearing white and black socks every day? Choosing what to wear and matching it with socks and shoes is perhaps one of the most irksome of everyday concerns. Socks Pill is your go-to shop for perfecting your style and making subtle changes in your daily routine. This Apgujeong-based select shop’s products vary in color and design and are packaged in transparent-colored capsules, which will definitely trigger a shopping spree here.

FYI>
Price: KRW 5,000–12,000
T. 02-511-4557
www.facebook.com/SocksPill
(663-22 Sinsa-Dong, Gangman-Gu, Seoul | 서울시 강남구 신사동 663-22)

GO>
Apgujeong Rodeo Station, Bundang Line, Exit 5

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Handmade high heels from Last Avenue

A woman can never have too many shoes. High heels can come in different varieties of color, height, and material, but the most important thing to consider is whether it’s comfortable yet manages to stay stylish. Shoe designer Reina Choi uses high-quality leather imported from Italy and offers heels at reasonable prices. Located in a back alley in Samcheong-dong, the shop is in a hanok (traditional Korean-style house) decorated with acrylic shoe materials. Choi recently opened another shop in Sinsa-dong that touts a modern twist on classic style.

FYI>
Price: KRW 138,000–398,000
www.lastavenue.co.kr

GO>
LARC (Last Avenue by Reina Choi)
Store#1 (T. 02-730-7807): 20-7 Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul | 서울시 종로구 삼청동 20-7

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Store#2 (T. 02-543-7808): #102, 651-5 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul | 서울시 강남구 신사동 651-5 #102

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Intense Care Snail Cream from TONYMOLY

Whoever said that beauty is only skin deep must have lived during a time when mirrors had not been invented yet. In fact, beauty is all about skin. While thousands of magic ingredients come and go, driving the local beauty trends, snails have taken over the local cosmetic business. This heaven-sent product is known to soothe skin and prevent wrinkles with its thick, soft texture.

FYI>
Price: KRW 36,000
www.etonymoly.com

GO>
Myeong-dong store no. 1 (T. 02-318-7871):
66-23 Chungmu-ro 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul | 서울시 중구 충무로2가 66-23

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Handmade accessories from Hoya n More

Handmade goods are no longer limited to small markets but are making inroads into the retail market. Hoya n More is one of a handful of local small shops offering a unique shopping experience for high-quality and innovative handcrafted accessories. Best known for simple design and special materials,
Hoya n More’s selection includes dressy bags, clutches, pouches, necklaces, bracelets, and customized letterpress cards.

FYI>
Price: KRW 39,000–328,000
T. 02-517-0991
www.hoyanmore.com

GO>
[ho:ya] and more: 653-8 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul | 서울시 강남구 신사동 653-8

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Galaxy Camera from Samsung

DSLR cameras were a thing in Korea only three years back, but why bring that heavy machine around when you can use lightweight ones that don’t require you to move photos manually? Take a look at Samsung’s brand-new Galaxy Camera and you’ll almost ask if it’s a smartphone. The Android-based mobile device works great for travelers who want to update their friends on what they’re doing in real time. Shoot, edit, and upload all at once with this amazing compact camera.

FYI>
Price: WiFi KRW 590,000 / LTE KRW 690,000
www.samsungimaging.com

GO>
Samsung d’light: T. 02-2255-2272, www.samsung.com/sec/dlight)
B1 Samsung Electronics Building (1320-10 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul | 서울시 서초구 서초동 1320-10)
Gangnam Station 강남역 (Line 2, Sinbundang Line), Exit 8

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Premium tea from OSULLOC

OSULLOC is the country’s largest tea company manufacturing high-quality goods. Established in 1979, OSULLOC started as a green tea manufacturer and has grown rapidly since opening tea houses in 2001. From fermented tea to roasted tea and special blends, its products have built a reputation through their subtle taste that is light but full.

FYI>
www.osulloc.com

GO>
Myeong-dong OSULLOC Tea House (T. 02-774-5460):
47-1 Myeong-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul | 서울시 중구 명동1가 47-1

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Korean fried kelp from Oh Hui-sook Traditional Bugak

Bugak is a traditional snack and side dish that Korean people enjoy. Bugak is made by frying vegetables or kelp, lightly sprinkled with some sugar and salt. Oh Hui-sook, who is called the master of bugak, makes 18 different kinds of bugak with healthy ingredients including sea mustard, seaweed, peppers, potatoes, beans, and even garlic. Fried and coated with glutinous rice paste, it brings out the real taste of the main ingredient without its strong bitterness or spiciness.

FYI>
Price: around KRW 3,000 per individual bag
http://ohs.co.kr

GO>
E-mart Times Square Branch (T. 02-3468-1234): Yeongdeungpo Station 영등포역 (Line 1), Exit 5

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Keeping the woman in your life happy

Written by Robert Koehler
Photographs courtesy of various manufacturers

Korea celebrates White Day on March 14, one month after Valentine’s Day. Whereas women give men chocolate and other gifts on Valentine’s Day (at least in Korea), White Day is for men to return the favor. White chocolate is the traditional gift of choice, but in these ostentatious consumer-driven days, you might have to do a bit better to impress that special woman in your life.

[box_dark]

OSULLOC Love Collection | 오설록 러브 컬렉션

Don’t have the cash for a luxury handbag? Well, how about some nice blended teas instead? Amore Pacific’s tea brand OSULLOC’s Love Collection includes two wonderfully aromatic blends, made from only the finest leaves grown at OSULLOC’s tea plantations on Jejudo.

[/box_dark]

FYI>
Price: 30,000 won
T. 080-023-5454, www.osullocmall.com

GO>
OSULLOC teahouses and major department stores across Korea: Myeong-dong branch, Insa-dong branch

[box_dark]

Stori Bags | 스토리 백

Want to get that special woman a quality handbag with a Korean touch? Try Stori. Run by the art director of Louis Quartorze, Stori incorporates Korean designs such as the traditional bokjumeoni (luck pouch) into their handmade bags.

[/box_dark]

FYI>
Price: 200,000–1 million won
T. 02-735-7101, www.lovestorisac.blog.me

GO>
Anguk Station 안국역 (Line 3), Exit 1

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[box_dark]

J.ESTINA | 제이에스티나

Work by Korean luxury jewery maker J.ESTINA can be found around the necks or dangling from the ears of figure skater Kim Yu-na, Girls’ Generation, and the Dakota sisters. We’re sure it will look great on your girlfriend/wife, too.

[/box_dark]

FYI>
Price: Their new Neo Glam Collage Tiara goes for 540,000 won
www.jestina.co.kr

GO>
Best to buy J.ESTINA jewelrys at Lotte Department Store in Myeong-dong

[box_dark]

Perfumelifer | 퍼퓸라이퍼

This Korean niche perfumery sees perfume as an art—if you see perfume as just another fashion statement, they ain’t for you. Perfumelifer is all about individual sensibility-based creativity.

[/box_dark]

FYI>
Price: Around 30,000 won
T. 010-8238-3238, www.perfumelifer.co.kr

GO>
Try F.ound Store (T. 02-333-4441, www.foundstore.kr) or 1984 (T. 02-325-1984, www.re1984.com) in the Hongdae area, Around The Corner (T. 02-545-5325, http://blog.aroundthecorner.co.kr) on Garosu-gil Street, and Seoul Selection Bookshop (T. 02-734-9565, www.seoulselection.com/bookstore) in the Samcheong-dong area.

[box_dark]

Ferrero Rocher Chocolate | 페레로 로쉐

Korean supermarket Lotte Mart’s most popular White Day item is premium shell chocolate, particularly Italy’s respected Ferrero Roche brand. Really, you can’t go wrong.

[/box_dark]

FYI>
Price: Box of eight will set you back 7,200 won

GO>
Any Lotte Mart (www.lottemart.com) or Olive Young (www.oliveyoung.co.kr) in Korea

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Hormiga Luxury Bags | 호미가 럭셔리 백

The luxury handbag is now—for better or worse—the must-have item for self-respecting women everywhere. Korean handmade bag manufacturer Hormiga has recently made a name for itself after it was rumored the company
made President Park Geun-hye’s stylish ostrich leather bag. The company later denied this, but it got their name in the news anyway.

[/box_dark]

FYI>
Price: 1–5 million won
T. 02-2155-4933, www.hkhormiga.com

GO>
Look for Hormiga store on 2F of Hibrand Fashion Hall in Yangjae-dong (T. 02-2155-0001, www.hibrand.com): Yangjae Citizen’s Forest Station 양재시민의숲역 (Sinbundang Line)

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Ayasophia | 아야소피아

If you’re using White Day to take your relationship to the next level, the small Bukchon shop Ayasophia offers beautiful but reasonably priced wedding dresses, as well reception dresses, wedding shoes and wedding accessories.

[/box_dark]

[box_info]When you buy a dress, you’ll get a matching accessory for free.[/box_info]

[box_info]Gift certificates available, too.[/box_info]

FYI>
Price: 300,000–600,000 won
T. 070-7518-1088, www.aya-sophia.com

GO>
Anguk Station 안국역 (Line 3), Exit 1 or 2

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Written by Violet Kim
Photographs courtesy of various manufacturers

This winter—which local papers report is the coldest one in 56 years—these stylish accessories will keep you fabulous. And fabulously warm. Money may not buy happiness, but it can buy hats, blankets, and sweaters.

Hats On: Beanie

Although the idea that you lose 45 percent of your body heat through your head is a myth, you don’t want to be taking any chances in Seoul’s subzero temperatures. And while Hats On in COEX stocks everything from newsboy hats to hunting caps, you can’t go wrong with a beanie. It’s impossible to look anything less than adorable in this earflap beanie from Joiebete. For something more serious, Hats On also stocks Jill by JillStuart beanies, like this fur-lined Jill by Jill Stuart Earflap Beanie.

FYI>
Price: 55,000 won and 45,000 won, respectively.

GO>
Hats On has locations all over the peninsula including COEX (T. 02-6002-4905), Myeong-dong (T. 02-318-4905) and Hongdae (T. 02-3141-4905).

You can locate the closest one at http://hatson.co.kr

Redpointshop: Smart Planner

Despite the fact that well over half of Seoul’s population uses a smartphone, there’s just something infinitely more satisfying about the infinitely more cumbersome but tactile planner, and planners are still wildly popular. Kosney in Myeong-dong stocks chic, uncluttered color blocked planners from redpointshop in color combinations like purple and mint. We can’t decide what we like best about them—the fact that they have pockets or the quirky 5-degree slant of the lined pages, which allow you to write without tilting the planner.

FYI>
Price: 7,500 won
Other planners or stationary can be found at www.redpointshop.co.kr.

GO>
Kosney has multiple locations, including one at M-Plaza in Myeong-dong (T. 02-727-3601).

You can locate the closest one at www.kosney.co.kr

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Style Nanda: Oversized Jacket

Slipping into this snazzy oversized jacket from Style Nanda is one way to stand out among the consistently drab blacks and grays of the average winter wardrobe. Definitely a fresh take on the baseball jacket silhouette.

FYI>
Price: 89,900 won

GO>
Style Nanda’s spacious 3-story flagship is in Hongdae (T. 02-333-9217).

Website is available in English, Japanese and Chinese: www.stylenanda.com

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Spicy Color: Sweater

The blocky geometric designs on this men’s sweater from Spicy Color are smart and stylish without looking silly or exaggerated—the kind of sweater your girlfriend might want to steal from your closet.

FYI>
Price: 59,800 won, marked down from 119,600 won

GO>
Available from Spicy Color, which has stores all over Seoul, but a particularly large one in Myeong-dong (T. 02-3789-5424).

Find your closest location at www.spicycolor.co.kr

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10×10: Surgical Mask

It might be because you’re sick of getting coughed on in the subway. It might be because you don’t want to spray when you sneeze. You might just have a particularly unsightly mole on your chin. Whatever the reason, sometimes you need to don one of those dreaded surgical masks. Wearing one of these “Nordic” patterned masks, however, might make you look less like a surgeon’s assistant and more like a cute, muzzled reindeer.

FYI>
Price: 6,800 won

GO>
10×10 (pronounced 10 by 10) has several locations, including one at Doota
in Dongdaemun (T. 02-2279-0141).

Find your closest location at www.10×10.co.kr

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Olive Young: Hot Pack

The hot pack is a palm-sized miracle that will warm the inside of your pockets, perfect for those blustery days when your fingers feel like they’re about to drop off from frostbite. Not bad for less than 3,000 won.

FYI>
Price: 2,900 won

GO>
You can purchase a hot pack at almost any Olive Young in the city. Find your closest location at www.oliveyoung.co.kr.

Bokuk: Electric Blanket

Koreans may be iffy about turning on the fan all night while we sleep, but we see nothing wrong with sleeping on an electric blanket. It’s like an efficient, personal patch of heated floor, except that it’s portable. E-mart stocks a variety of electric blankets printed with predictably ugly designs, but it also has this natty design of animal silhouettes from Bokuk.

FYI>
Price: 74,900 won. Other items can be found at www.bke.co.kr.

GO>
E-mart has locations all over the country, but there’s one by the Cheonggyecheon (T. 02-2290-1085).

You can locate the closest E-mart at http://store.emart.com

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Valentine’s Day

Shopping right for the one you love

Written by Violet Kim

Photographs courtesy of various manufacturers

In South Korea, Valentine’s Day is all about wooing the men. Women get their turn on White Day, March 14, but February 14 is about the man. The man may say that all he really wants this winter is you, but a gift can’t hurt. Here are seven suggestions for showing some material love.

1. Lotion

Despite the rising popularity of makeup for men in Seoul, there are still men who will recoil in fear at the thought of moisturizing. You can buy a boyfriend BB cream, but you can’t make him wear it. Yet in keeping with local tradition (or trends), you can still gift makeup. Just go for a gateway product like Homme Black Perfect Fluid, a skin lotion for men from Hera.

FYI> Price: 55,000 won

www.hera.co.kr

GO> Look for the Hera brand at the Gangnam location of Shinsegae Dept. Store (T. 02-3479-1217), Apgujeong location of Hyundai Dept. Store (T. 02-3438-6072) or Sinchon location of Hyundai Dept. Store (T. 02-3145-2114).

2. External Hard Drive

There’s no need to argue for the desirability of 1TB in storage space. But as far as external hard drives go, the White Heart Keith Haring external hard drive from Sarotech is particularly good as a Valentine’s Day gift, thanks to the funky but never twee heart art by Haring.

FYI> Price: 155,000 won

www.sarotech.com

GO>

Design emporium 10×10: locations in Dongdaemun Doota and Myeong-dong Lotte Young Plaza

Check www.10×10.co.kr for more location details.

3. A bag

But not just any bag, and certainly no “murse.” This no-fuss canvas-and-cowhide creation from Brownbreath comes in beige and grey, and it’s called the Folio Roll Bag for a reason. It can be folded into an envelope-shaped briefcase, or rolled into a cylindrical shape to carry large cylindrical objects (like rolled-up posters).

FYI> Price: 38,000 won

T. 02-323-2190, www.brownbreath.com

GO> Brownbreath has three offline locations. The official location is in Hongdae, with two other stores in Sinsa-dong and Myeong-dong Lotte Young Plaza.

4. A pullover

There’s nothing more simultaneously loathed and loved than the custom of “couple T-shirts,” where two people in a relationship don the same T-shirt to let the world see that yes, they are indeed together. But getting your significant other a pullover like this Beyond Closet pullover from designer Ko Tae Yong, and then getting one for yourself because it’s so darn cute? That’s not loathsome. That’s just coincidence.

FYI> Price: 83,000 won

GO> Multi-brand shop A Land, which has its biggest location in Myeong-dong (T. 070-7820-7534) and in Hongdae (T. 070-7820-7476).

Check www.a-land.co.kr for more location details.

5. IPhone Accessory

Smartphone cases are everywhere, from inexpensive 10,000 won cases off of street vendors to 27,9000 won L’Donovan cases from the Hyundai Department Store. But despite the variety of options, sometimes there’s one right answer. Lab.C’s USB cases for the iPhone 5 unite beauty and utility in one sleek, affordable product. Beauty: it comes in subtle shades of pink, blue, and silver and doesn’t add unnecessary bulk. Utility: There’s a handy slot for your transit card and an 8GB USB that fits into the back. The case is also made of makrolon, a high-tech, wear-resistant plastic that’s used inside of BMWs. And while this particular model is only an option for iPhone users, Lab.C also makes other makrolon cases for Samsung Galaxy phones.

FYI> Price: 40,420 won

www.lab-c.co.kr

GO> For phone and laptop accessories, check your local Concierge branch.

Check www.concierge.co.kr for more location details.

6. Cake

If you have to get a cake, it might as well be one you baked. Or rather, made. Dan Hana specializes in customizable cakes. Just show up, pick a base (vanilla, chocolate, or mousse) and then go crazy with the toppings (everything from miniature macaroons and fruit to chocolate and sugar ornaments). Average decorating time: 30 to 60 minutes.

FYI> Price: Bases start at 13,000 won and toppings can be anywhere from 100 to 1500 won a piece. www.cakedan.com

GO> There are numerous Dan Hana locations around Seoul: check Sookmyung Womens University branch (T. 02-712-9050) and Hongdae branch (T. 02-325-2022).

7. A tumbler

This Teascafe tumbler has a stainless steel interior and a plastic exterior. As a tumbler, it’s perfectly serviceable—and also necessary for the typical caffeine-addicted Seoulite. It’s also pretty ugly. The good news is that it’s customizable. Here’s your chance to show off your artsy side and slip your own handiwork behind the plastic. Or just go full schmaltzy and decorate that thing with photographs of the two of you. You can always remove them later.

FYI> Price: 19,000 won

GO> Design shop 1300K in Hongdae (T. 02-323-9878, 02-338-1353).

Check www.1300k.com for more location details.