🛒 Where to Buy Groceries in Korea - Find Your Home Foods Fast(2025)
🛒 Where to Buy Groceries in Korea (For Foreigners) — Find Your Home Foods Fast
Looking for familiar spices, halal meat, or Western cheeses? This quick guide shows you exact spots and smart shortcuts to get what you need without hopping all over the city.
한국에서 외국 식재료·할랄·수입 식품을 쉽고 빠르게 찾는 방법을 사례로 정리했어요.
▸ Open Contents (Supermarkets • International & Halal • Markets • Apps • Phrases • Tips • FAQ)
1) Major Supermarkets
| Chain | What you’ll find | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| E-Mart | Big produce, bakery, home goods; small imported section | Check larger branches for better international aisles |
| Homeplus | Value pricing, decent foreign food shelves | Evenings often have discount stickers on fresh foods |
| Lotte Mart | Similar to E-Mart/Homeplus; good near Seoul Station | Tourist-friendly signage at central locations |
| Costco (membership) | Bulk cheese, meats, sauces, snacks | Yan gjae / Sangbong / Mapo; Search locations |
Tip: Bring a reusable tote; plastic bags are charged or limited.
2) International & Halal Stores (Seoul hot spots)
- Itaewon Halal Street (near Seoul Central Mosque) — Halal butchers, Middle Eastern spices, and Southeast Asian groceries (Indo/Malay items appear at small marts).
Open in Google Maps · Search on Naver Map (이태원 할랄 마트) - Gwanghui-dong “Central Asia Street” (Dongdaemun) — Uzbek, Kazakh, Russian shops and restaurants with imported staples.
Open in Google Maps · Search on Naver Map (광희동 중앙아시아 거리) - Hyehwa Filipino Sunday Market (Sundays) — Filipino groceries, sauces, snacks around the cathedral area.
Open in Google Maps · Search on Naver Map (혜화 필리핀 일요 시장) - Ansan Wongok-dong Multicultural Food Street (Line 4, Ansan) — Largest, most consistent selection of Indonesian/Thai/Vietnamese groceries near Seoul.
Open in Google Maps · Search on Naver Map (원곡동 다문화 음식거리)Note: Daerim/garibong area skews Chinese (조선족 상권). For Indonesian items, try Itaewon or Ansan first.
3) Local Markets & Fresh Picks
Traditional markets (시장): Gwangjang, Mangwon, and neighborhood markets offer fresh produce, tofu, kimchi, seafood, and street foods.
현금 또는 한국 카드 권장 (일부 포스기 미지원).
Tip: Go 1–2 hours before closing for markdowns on produce and side dishes.
4) Delivery & Shopping Apps
- Coupang — overnight/early-morning delivery (“Rocket”) for staples & snacks. coupang.com
- Market Kurly — premium produce, imported items, chilled goods. kurly.com
- SSG.com — department-store groceries and wine selection. ssg.com
Note: Most apps require a Korean phone number & card for full features.
5) Useful Bilingual Phrases
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 이 재료 어디에서 살 수 있어요? | I jaeryo eodieseo sal su isseoyo? | Where can I buy this ingredient? |
| 할랄 고기 있어요? | Hallal gogi isseoyo? | Do you have halal meat? |
| 수입 식품 코너가 어디예요? | Suip sikpum koneoga eodiyeyo? | Where is the imported foods aisle? |
| 카드 결제 돼요? | Kadeu gyeolje dwaeyo? | Do you take cards? |
| 포장해 주세요. | Pojanghae juseyo. | Please wrap this, please. |
👩🏫 Teacher’s Tips
Start with 3 “must-gets.” Make a tiny list (e.g., tortillas, garam masala, cheddar). Small wins keep you motivated and prevent impulse buys.
필수 3가지를 먼저 구하면 시간·비용 모두 절약돼요.
Learn aisle labels you’ll see a lot: 조미료 유제품 냉동 수입식품
사진 촬영 후 점원에게 “이거 어디 있어요?”라고 보여 주세요.
❓ FAQ
Is halal easy to find?
In Itaewon near the mosque—yes. Elsewhere, use live map searches and check labels.
Can I shop without Korean?
Large markets have English on shelves. Screenshots + simple phrases cover the rest.
📌 Related Posts
Want real-life practice? Bring your shopping list and we’ll rehearse short, polite lines that work at counters and markets.
Keep the momentum—2 more minutes, smarter shopping.
