Fabric shopping in Seoul - Part 1 (Gwangjang Market)

I recently got a sewing machine from Singer (read about that experience from an earlier post) so began my search for the raw materials to 'put something together'. I had heard that there is a big fabric market in Seoul, afterall a lot of designer fabrics get printed in Korea (not just China). In fact, Heather Ross who wrote 'Weekend Sewing' has her fabric printed in Korea too!

After a bit of research and wandering about, I found 2 sources of for fabrics and sewing knick knacks. The first place I hit was Gwangjang Shijang (Gwangjang Market). This is close to Dongdaemun, if you take the subway use Line 1 and get off at Jong-no 5(o)-ga. Alternatively, if you are looking for bus routes, check out this site for more options.

When I first got there, I was a bit confused as I came in through the food alley. You will see lots of small stall that are cooking some form of pancake or 'chon'. I never did stop to enquire what kind of chon it was but it did look good albeit super oily.

Food alley

Lady making 'chon'

If you head off towards the area where you see stores selling hanboks and blankets, you are heading off in the right direction. It really depends on which direction you are coming from. I had to ask someone the first time and mentioned 'utt' which means cloth or fabric or clothes. Somehow they understood me, but then they said something like they are closed. Turns out I went on a Tuesday and most of the fabric shops close on that day! Great!

So if you go on another weekday you will see lots of small stores selling fabric, maily cotton, polyester, silks, and blankets. There are a lot of stores that sell, not exactly fabric ends but small pieces of fabric that are no more than say 3m. One good thing about Gwangjang market sellers as compared to the ones at the Dongdaemun Shopping Town (which I will write about later) is that they don't mind you buying 1m of fabric. They cater more to the individual hobbyist than wholesale buyers like the ones that you find in DST.

Special desserts made for weddings

Along the alley where you find all the fabric shops, check out the stores on the left, you will see smaller alleys that go off from the main walkway and in there you will find shops that sell sewing accessories like buttons, knick knacks, lace, thread etc...

Generally the price is comparable to DST, I guess the main differences that Gwangjang Market is:

• Less packed
• Bit more space to move around - you won't have ahjassi's with 1ton bags swiping past you like in DST
• Friendlier sellers
• Easier to buy smaller quantities of fabrics
• Just a tad less intimidating
  
• Heaps less confusing
  
• Much less choice than DST