Satisfactory Sinning at the Striking Streets of Sizzling Shinchon

Photos by joeylee
Slightly Edited by joeylee
Content by joeylee

Neon lights sputter into life. Cars stream in and out, beaming their powerful headlights. Snack carts begin to open up for business, as their search for the night’s winning spot comes to an end. Women, all of whom are dressed to the nines, continue to strut past you in their chic outfits. It’s just another day of shopping in what’s dubbed as the Fashion Street for Women.

A foreign land, snaking with hidden streets and bustling with youthful women, all scrambling for the perfect buy.  It might be rather intimidating for a newcomer to such a life, and that’s exactly what our dummy’s guide is for.



Tip #1
Veer away from the incessant chatter and squeals of the main streets, and branch into the side alleys for some great looks and prices instead. A whole web of unique boutiques lie in the back alleys of this street in wait for you to exploit, as long as you’re willing to venture off the beaten road.  Remember, main streets equate to mainstream clothing.

Tip #2
Assumption will be your biggest downfall. A common travellers mistake would be presuming that if a recognisable brand in your holiday is more expensive than the prices in your homeland, everything there is expensive. At Shinchon street, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you do uncover the brands that are cheaper there than at home. Likewise, some brands like Dr Martens could be pricier there, so do take note or you might make a mistake that could leave a bitter aftertaste in your shopping experience.



Tip #3
Shinchon, like most other streets in Seoul, have some fantastic street food to boast about. Although the snacks are usually sinfully greasy and probably not up to official health standards, the flavours are usually spot-on. We had a couple of chicken skewers from a seemingly run-of-the-mill street stall for W 2,000 (about S$2), which yielded succulent chunks of chicken meat that were glistening with their juices. One skewer got the classic teriyaki treatment, leaving it glazed and delightfully sweet, whilst the other went down a bolder road with a drizzling of mayonnaise and a bombardment of cayenne pepper. Needless to say, we left with a raging inferno in our mouths but with wide grins plastered on our faces nonetheless, and greatly satisfied that that simple snack was well worth it.

We may not seasoned globetrotters, but that’s exactly what makes our words and experiences that much more trustworthy and reliable.

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