Day 4: Grocery Shopping in Korea - OMG

Day 4: Grocery Shopping in Korea — The Weird, the Wonderful, and the 'Wait... What?

Confused at Korean grocery stores? From dish soap disasters to kimchi aisles, here’s your honest guide to shopping smart in Korea as a foreigner.

Yes, you WILL accidentally buy dish soap thinking it’s juice. Probably.

Day 4: Grocery Shopping in Korea — The Weird, the Wonderful, and the 'Wait... What?

So there I was. My third day in Korea. Jet lagged, hungry, and incredibly proud of myself for finding the nearest supermarket without using Google Maps. It felt like a win.

Until I drank soap.

Okay — not *drank* drank. But I did pour what I thought was grape juice into a glass and sip it. Cue bubbles. Cue confusion. Cue the moment I realized: grocery shopping in Korea is not for the faint of heart.
 

🛒 Let’s Talk Korean Supermarkets

There are three main types of places to buy groceries here:

1. Big-Box Stores (E-Mart, Homeplus, Lotte Mart)
   * Think Korean Walmart. Huge, bright, escalators for carts (yes), and food samples.
   * Great for bulk buys, home goods, and frozen dumplings the size of your head.

Local Marts

2. Local Marts (이마트24, GS25, 작은 슈퍼)
   * Not convenience stores exactly — more like neighborhood mini markets.
   * You’ll find basics, fresh veggies, ramen, and the occasional mystery item with no English label.
 
3. Traditional Markets (시장)
   * Crowded, chaotic, and *so* worth it.
   * Great for fruits, side dishes (반찬), and chatting with kind ajummas who will sneak you extra tofu if you smile right.

Even late at night on the high street, the lights twinkle

🥴 Still recovering from the dish soap incident?

✨ If you missed it, go read [Day 3: What I Wish I Knew]

🧾 Coming tomorrow: [Day 5: Banking & Money in Korea]  
It’s not just about numbers — it’s about ATMs that shout at you in Korean.
 

🤔 What’s So Confusing, Anyway?

* Everything’s in Korean. Like… everything.
* Packaging is deceptive. Milk comes in pouches sometimes. Yogurt looks like shampoo. Shampoo looks like milk.
* Prices jump weirdly. That apple? 500 won. The one next to it? 5,000. WHY?
* You bag your own groceries. Fast. While the cashier stares. It’s a race and you’re losing.

And no — they don’t give out free bags. Bring your own, or end up carrying eggs in your hoodie like I did.
 

🥬 Top 5 Korean Grocery Surprises

1. Spam is fancy. And expensive. It comes in gift boxes. (Seriously.)
2. Kimchi takes up entire aisles. There are more types than you can name.
3. Samples are a thing. But you better act confident or the staff will ignore you.
4. Fruit is luxury. Apples are individually wrapped like gold bars.
5. Mochi ice cream hides everywhere. And yes, you need it.

What’s So Confusing, Anyway?

📦 Beginner Tips I Wish Someone Told Me

* Use Papago or Google Lens. You’ll look silly scanning a milk carton but it’ll save your life.
* Price tags are per 100g sometimes. Check carefully — that cheap beef may not be cheap.
* Yellow stickers = discount. Red stickers = not what you think. (I still don’t know what they mean.)
* Don’t be afraid to ask. "이거 뭐예요?" (i-geo mwo-ye-yo?) goes a long way.
* Not everything in the frozen aisle is edible. Learned that the hard way.
 
✨ Missed yesterday’s story?  
Check out [Day 3: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Living in Korea] — it’s the emotional rollercoaster you didn’t know you needed.
 
🧠 Still nervous about what’s juice and what’s shampoo?
These links helped me more than I’d like to admit:

🔗 Extra Help:  
• [E-Mart Grocery Site]
• [Visit Korea - Traditional Market Guide]
• [Papago Label Translator]

You're embarrassed, but don't be afraid. I'm with you

 

🧼 The Dish Soap Incident

Back to that soap.

It looked like juice. It *smelled* like grapes. It had a twist cap. The label? No English. I was thirsty. You can guess the rest.

Lesson learned: Just because it’s next to the drinks doesn’t mean it’s a drink.
 

🎒 What I Buy Now Without Thinking

* 마늘 (Garlic) — It’s in *everything* here.
* 계란 (Eggs) — But watch out: not always refrigerated.
* 고추장 (Gochujang) — Sweet, spicy, magic.
* 두유 (Soy milk) — Comes in like 14 flavors.
* 삼각김밥 (Triangle kimbap) — My forever travel snack.
 

Top 3 Stir-fried Porks in Korea

🧠 Final Thoughts (That Aren’t Really Final)

Look, grocery shopping here is an adventure. It’s messy, surprising, and sometimes gross (fermented skate, anyone?). But it’s also where you learn the language. The culture. Yourself.

And hey — at least now I check before I sip.

Welcome to Korea. Happy shopping. And don’t eat anything purple unless you’re *really* sure.
 
🧾 Coming tomorrow on Day 5:  
We’re talking money. Banking, paying rent, sending cash abroad — and yes, the ATM that yelled at me in Korean.  
Don’t miss it.