A Must-Visit Course for Traveling in Korea! The Ultimate Guide to the Olmuda (Olive Young + Musinsa + Daiso) Tour

What is the Olmuda Tour?

Hello! For overseas travelers planning a trip to Korea, I’d like to introduce you to the incredibly popular 'Olmuda Tour'! Olmuda is a combination of Olive Young + Musinsa + Daiso, and it’s becoming a much more popular shopping course among foreign tourists than duty-free shops.

The statistics for 2024 are truly surprising! Among foreign shoppers, a whopping 34.7% visited Olive Young, and 14.5% went to Daiso. Despite the limited number of stores, Musinsa saw a remarkable 343% increase in spending!

Shopping Points for Each Brand

1. Olive Young - The Mecca of K-Beauty

Olive Young is truly the mecca of K-beauty shopping! It’s a place where you can see all Korean cosmetics and skincare products in one spot.

Recommended Products:

• Sheet masks (especially discounted for bulk purchases)

• Sunscreen (Korean brands are really famous)

• Serums and essences

• Multi-balm (lip balm, hand cream, etc.)

Shopping Tips:

• The Myeongdong Town branch is a global specialized store with English labeling

• There are translation devices supporting 16 languages, so no worries about communication

• Staff who can speak foreign languages are on site

2. Musinsa - The Trend of K-Fashion

Musinsa is a place where you can see the latest fashion trends in Korea at a glance. It’s really popular among the younger generation!

Popular Items:

• Musinsa Standard basic items

• Curation of Korean designer brands

• Street fashion items

• Accessories and goods

Recommended Stores:

• Myeongdong branch: So popular that foreigners account for 44% of sales

• Hongdae branch: Young vibe and various brands

• Seongsu branch: Trendy concept store

3. Daiso - The Paradise of Cost-Effectiveness

Daiso is such an amazing place! Foreigners are really amazed that you can buy so many things for under 5,000 won.

Popular Products:

• K-beauty products (sheet masks, cosmetics)

• Seaweed and various Korean snacks

• Stationery and household items

• Character goods

Shopping Points:

• Myeongdong main store and Hongdae 2nd branch are the most popular among foreigners

• Box packaging service for bulk purchases

• Great for gifts

Recommended Olmuda Tour Courses

Myeongdong Course (Half-Day)

9:00 AM - Arrive at Myeongdong Station
9:30 AM - K-beauty shopping at Olive Young Myeongdong Town branch
11:00 AM - Cost-effective shopping at Daiso Myeongdong main store
12:30 PM - Lunch + street food in Myeongdong street
2:00 PM - K-fashion shopping at Musinsa Standard Myeongdong branch
3:30 PM - Relax at a nearby cafe

Hongdae Course (Half-Day)

2:00 PM - Arrive at Hongik University Station
2:30 PM - Olive Young Hongdae Central branch (large store with two floors)
4:00 PM - Daiso Hongdae 2nd branch
5:00 PM - Musinsa Hongdae branch
6:00 PM - Hongdae street food and cafe tour

Budget Guide

Average Purchase Amount at Olive Young:

• 10-pack sheet masks: 15,000-25,000 won

• Sunscreen: 8,000-15,000 won

• Serum: 10,000-30,000 won

• Average spending per person: 50,000-100,000 won

Average Purchase Amount at Daiso:

• Most products are 1,000-5,000 won

• Sheet masks: 1,000-3,000 won

• Average spending per person: 20,000-50,000 won

Average Purchase Amount at Musinsa:

• T-shirts: 20,000-50,000 won

• Hoodies/Sweatshirts: 30,000-80,000 won

• Average spending per person: 80,000-200,000 won

Practical Tips for Foreigners

Transportation Information

Access to Myeongdong:

• Subway Line 4, Myeongdong Station, exits 5, 6, 7, 8
• Airport bus No. 6015 (Incheon Airport → Myeongdong)

Access to Hongdae:

• Subway Line 2, Line 6, Hongik University Station
• Airport Railroad AREX Hongik University Station
• Airport bus No. 6002 (Incheon Airport → Hongdae)

Instagram Photo Spots

Here are the photo zones you must capture during the Olmuda Tour!

• Olive Young: In front of the colorful cosmetics display
• Daiso: With the colorful products
• Musinsa: With the stylish store interior and clothes
• Shopping Bag Photo: Holding shopping bags from all three brands

Gift Recommendations

Recommended Gifts for Family/Friends:

From Olive Young:

• Sheet mask set (representative of Korean beauty)

• Korean brand lip balm, hand cream

• Mini serum/essence set

Optimal Visiting Times

Weekdays: 10 AM - 6 PM (Calm and leisurely shopping)
Weekends: 2 PM - 8 PM (Lively atmosphere, but a bit crowded)

Pro Tip: Myeongdong stays open late, so evening shopping is possible! Hongdae has a youthful vibe and is lively until late at night.

Overall Review of the Olmuda Tour

The Olmuda Tour is truly a shopping experience that best showcases the present-day Korea. You can experience the real lifestyle and trends of Koreans, which you can’t feel at duty-free shops!

Especially, you can efficiently experience K-beauty, K-fashion, and Korea’s cost-effective culture all at once. Prices are more reasonable than duty-free shops, and you can encounter a wider variety of brands and products.

If you visit Korea, I highly recommend experiencing it at least once! It will surely be a satisfying shopping and cultural experience.