E-Mart
hyper이마트
Best for
Bulk snacks · K-Beauty mid-market · Frozen foods
English staff: Limited, but signage in English at flagship branches.
Payment: All foreign cards work; tax-refund counter near customer service.
Tax refund 3%
Korean groceries
Eat & drink
Korean groceries, gifts, K-Beauty bulk-buy
The supermarkets travelers should walk into, the 18 must-buys we keep recommending, and the rules (bag fees, tax refund, Sunday closures) you need to know before you push a cart.
Where to shop
Lotte Mart
hyper롯데마트
Best for
Souvenir-packaged snacks · Premium fruit gift sets
English staff: Limited.
Payment: Tax refund 3% on > ₩30,000.
Tax refund 3%
Homeplus
hyper홈플러스
Best for
Quick weeknight shop · House brand "Signature"
English staff: Limited.
Payment: Some branches accept Alipay / WeChat Pay.
Tax refund 3%
SSG Premium
premiumSSG 프리미엄
Best for
Premium produce · International ingredients · Imported wines
English staff: Decent.
Payment: Best foreign-card support of all Korean grocery chains.
Tax refund 3%
Costco Korea
wholesale코스트코
Best for
Bulk Korean snacks · Korean wine + soju gift packs · Bulgogi sets
English staff: Yes — international member desk.
Payment: Requires global Costco card. Bring it from home; foreign Costco cards work in Korea.
Six rules at the till
Bag fees ₩100
Plastic / paper bags charged at checkout. Bring your own or buy a reusable.
Coin-deposit cart
₩100 coin to unlock a shopping cart. Returns when you bring it back.
Free packing wraps
Insulated mylar bags for frozen / fresh items at checkout. Take them.
Sunday closures (some)
E-Mart and Lotte Mart hypermarkets close on 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month under retail-protection laws.
Tax refund 3%
On purchases > ₩30,000 — show passport at customer service.
Liquid carry-on limits
Ingredients (gochujang, sauces) are fine in checked baggage. Soju (alcohol) — 5L total checked, 1L in carry-on per international rules.
Gift boxes
Choco Pie 30-pack
~₩15,000
초코파이 30입
Korea's most exported snack — perfect gift box.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Costco Korea
Pepero Original 8-pack
~₩8,000
빼빼로
Korean Pocky — gift-grade box.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Homeplus
Chamisul Soju Gift Pack
~₩25,000
참이슬 선물세트
6 bottles with cups in a printed box. Customs allows 2 bottles duty-free.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Costco Korea
Maxim Mocha Gold Mild Coffee (100 sticks)
~₩20,000
맥심 모카골드 마일드
Korean office coffee culture in a box — 3-in-1 sticks.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Costco Korea
Snacks
Sae-u-kkang (Shrimp Crackers)
~₩1,500
새우깡
1970s classic — Korean kids grew up on this.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Homeplus
Honey Butter Chip
~₩2,500
허니버터칩
Sweet-salty potato chip phenomenon.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Homeplus
Roasted Seaweed Snack Tray (Yangban)
~₩8,000
조미김
Korean kid food + snack + gift. 24 small packs.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Homeplus · Costco Korea
Instant meals
Samyang Buldak Multi-pack
~₩9,000
삼양 불닭볶음면 5입
Mukbang-famous fire-noodle. Pack of 5 flies home easy.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Homeplus · Costco Korea
Ottogi Jin Ramyeon 20-pack
~₩17,000
진라면
Mild + savory — easier to share than Shin.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Costco Korea
K-Beauty
Beauty of Joseon — Glow Serum (Rice + Alpha-Arbutin)
~₩17,000
조선미녀 글로우 세럼
TikTok-famous Korean serum — cheaper at Olive Young / E-Mart than abroad.
Buy at: E-Mart
COSRX Snail Mucin 96 Essence
~₩19,000
코스알엑스 달팽이 96 에센스
Skin-care gateway product. Korean prices are 50% of US retail.
Buy at: E-Mart
Innisfree Volcanic Pore Clay Mask
~₩13,000
이니스프리 화산송이
Jeju volcanic clay; classic exfoliator.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart
Drinks
Sikhye (Sweet rice drink) can
~₩1,500
식혜 캔
Traditional rice drink in a can.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Homeplus
Cooking ingredients
Gochujang (Red Pepper Paste) tub
~₩7,000
고추장
Make Korean food at home. Sunchang brand best.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Homeplus
Doenjang (Soybean Paste) tub
~₩6,500
된장
For stew + dipping sauce.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart
Korean Sesame Oil Glass Bottle
~₩10,000
참기름
Roastier and richer than Japanese / Chinese sesame oil.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart
Frozen / takeaway
Bibigo Frozen Mandu (Dumplings)
~₩10,000 for 700g
비비고 만두
The frozen dumpling that took over Whole Foods globally — pay 60% less at the source.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart · Costco Korea
Frozen Hotteok (Sweet Pancake)
~₩5,500
냉동 호떡
Microwave 1 min for the street-food classic.
Buy at: E-Mart · Lotte Mart