Seoul: Shopping at Edae

December 27, 2014

My friend was still miserable from food poisoning, but we had brunch at a cafe called Buccella before sending her off to go home. I moved to a different guesthouse in a few minutes from Gangnam Station. It's really small, but clean

(Here onward was drafted on the day of)

So I didn't do much today. I stayed in until quite late actually because now that I'm actually in Korea, I have no idea what I wanna do. (See a pattern here..?) 

I asked my friend and she recommended Edae for affordable, pretty clothing. It is on line 2, Ehwa's Woman's University exit 2 or 3 (either works). It's about an hour away from Gangnam Station. 

It was a bit confusing at first because I wasn't sure how big this place should be, like is it one long street? A few streets? If so, which one is the "main" one? Etc etc.

Initially I didn't buy much.. Then I went back again and looked around more carefully and found quite a few things that I liked :X I spent like maybe 2-3 hours here somehow. Maybe less because it didn't feel like I went into a lot of shops. 

I ended up buying 4 dresses (10000/each), 1 jacket (10000), 1 cotton cape coat (65000 down to 47000), 1 pair of shorts (5000), 1 skirt (5000), and 1 bag (10000). So I spent a grand total of 117000 won for 9 items which averages out to $13 a piece.

I didn't actually try to bargain for any of it since it was already one of the cheapest items there. But the coat I did since the girl (UJ) was trying to convince me that it was a sale so she went from 65000 to 58000, then I told her I had to think about it because I really did. I already got two coats made in Shanghai and a coat is bulky for my already overflowing luggage. I wasn't looking to spending that much in Korea either because I already spent too freely in Japan, especially if you look at how much I blew on the UFO catchers ($50+). 

So then she dropped it down to 52000, saying how it's a secret secret and telling me how ippuda I look lul. Had to think about it still and she told me 48000. In the end I left because I really wasn't sure :( and wanted to look around to see if she was actually giving me a good deal. I found it I two other stores for 52000 (?) and 56000. So before I left, I came back to buy it. Final attempt and this time I tried to be the one to put down a price but she only budged to 47000. Bargaining skills getting rusty from being away from Shanghai for too long. 

Kinda got lost on my way back to the station because I forgot which direction I came from but that's okay. Stopped by Chicky x2 for their Chicky Red Rice before heading back home. I couldn't find my way to the station because I kept walking in circles, so I ended up losing my original direction. D:

I still don't have that much space in my luggage... And I'm sure I'm going to find stuff I like in Singapore and Malaysia too sigh.