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Since there are about 24 new foreign teachers starting this semester at my university this semester, I thought I’d take a few minutes to slap together a short shopping guide for Gyeongju’s local foreigners. It’s pouring down rain today, so please excuse me for not running out and shooting photos. I’m afraid we’ll just have to make do with Google Maps for the bling factor.  Anyhow, here are a few things most foreigners ask about when they move here:

English-Speaking Pharmacists

If you’re in need of an English-speaking pharmacist, there’s one who runs the Medipharm Dongguk Pharmacy right on Dongdae Sagori Intersection. I don’t remember her name at the moment, but she’s quite fluent in English (her husband’s foreign, I believe) and real friendly. If she’s not in when you go by, her assistant might give her a ring if it’s an emergency.

Used Furniture

For folks looking to furnish their new apartment on the cheap, there are actually a lot of used furniture shops in Gyeongju. There’s a handful just a block off the river in Seonggeon-dong that deal in used furniture for the students, like small fridges, book shelves, TVs and computer desks.

However, if you’re looking for larger furniture, like beds, sofas, and washing machines, there is a string of 4 or 5 used furniture shops on the road running along the north side of the Bucheon River, on the 3 block stretch between the SK and Oil Bank gas stations. Prices and quality vary, so it pays to shop around. They also carry overstock new furniture at times, so you can get some good deals. Prices are reasonable but not generally marked, so it’s good to bring a Korean friend along to help out with the ins and outs of haggling. Free delivery is included with any purchase, so don’t sweat it if you don’t have a car.

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Electronics

Gyeongju is lacking a bit in variety when it comes to retail electronic shops, but if you’re just shopping for a basic TV, PC, air conditioner or kimchi refrigerator there are enough shops here to service your needs. 10 minutes around the block from the bus station downtown are both a Hi Mart and an LG retail shops. They’re practically across the street from each other, so it’s great for price comparison. These two shops focus a bit more on appliances, so for a bigger selection of things like laptops or DSLR cameras, you might want to try Hi Mart out in Dongcheon-dong. It’s 3 stories tall and not to far from Homeplus, which again means you can easily bounce over there for a bit of price comparison.

If you’re in the market for a laptop, PC, peripherals or even more techie things like RAM and routers, there are about a dozen or so computer shops in Seonggeon-dong along the main drag between Dongdae Sagori intersection and Joong Ang Market. They tend to vary in size and a lot of them double as repair shops. Still, they tend to carry the same or similar stock, so if you need any thing unusual, like an external DVD burner or MIDI keyboard controller, your best is shopping on-line or going to Seoul.

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Foreign Food

Gyeongju is one of the most traditional cities in Korea. For years the farmers’ markets have successfully fought to keep out the mega-stores like E-mart and Costco, so the selection of foreign goods here is a bit less than bigger cities like Ulsan or Daegu. There is a Tesco Homeplus (NOT one of their super stores) on the north side of town and it’s got a decent selection of Western goods you won’t find in your local super market. We hit it up regularly for essentials like black olives, salsa, cheese and ground beef. It’s also got a good selection of wine, though the imported beer selection seems to vary.

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Still, if you’ve got an insatiable craving for dill pickles or you just can’t stand the taste of Korean toothpaste, there are a couple of foreign goods shops in town you might want to check out. Be prepared though, they ain’t cheap. Downtown, half a block east of McDonalds is Ikea (don’t get your hopes up, they’ve ripped off the name); a little shop that deals in tacky house wares and has an alright (but over-priced) selection of foreign stuff like Head and Shoulders shampoo, Crest toothpaste and weird Japanese candy.

For a slightly larger selection, you might want to try World Living, a two story house wares shop tucked right behind the Western Bar, just off of Dongdae Sagori intersection, in the heart of Seonggeon-dong. We usually hit them up for bulk coffee beans and quality kitchen wares. Back in the day Ikea and World living might have had to smuggle their goods off the U.S. Army bases, though these days it seems they find it easier to make a run to Costco in Daegu and then slap on a couple thousand won mark up in the shop. Still, it’s probably worth it if you can’t make it to Costco yourself

A true gem though for any cook living in Gyeongju is the Asian Food Mart. Yeah, I know: we already are in Asia. But if you’re into ethnic food, they’ve got everything you need for cooking Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, etc. They’ve even got fresh lemon grass and basil along with frozen lamb and Tempe (great for the vegetarians). Also, if you’re not yet hip to Skype, they sell international phone cards, so you don’t need to run to Daegu or Seoul for that. The Asian Food Mart is downtown, just a block over from the Train Station, next to the Bean Stock coffee shop and down from Pranzo Italian Restaurant.

Asia Food Mart

Liquor and Wine

As I mentioned before, Tesco Homeplus has a pretty decent selection of wines these days, though their liquor and beer can be a bit hit or miss depending on when you go. However, if you’re a fan of 17 year old single malt scotch or just can’t get enough of Castillo del Diablo 2005, there’s always Kaja Liquor and Wine. Kaja’s got a great selection of wines and liquors from the world over (though not necessarily at the most affordable prices). The also carry fine imported cheeses and pre-wrapped wine gift sets, if there’s someone you need to impress. Kaja is on the main drag downtown, down the block from McDonalds on the right, just before Bonghwangdae tomb.

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Okay, I think that’s it for now. I’m sure I’ve missed a few places, so if you’ve got any tips for shopping in Gyeongju, please give a scribble in the comments down below: