Packing your page
Seoul runs late and moves fast, with neighbourhoods that range from palace districts to all-night shopping streets. It is also the most rewarding city in the world for skincare shopping, so pack light on the way in.
Typical temperature and rainfall for each month, climate averages for this location.
Highlighted months are the most comfortable for walking. Averages for a roughly 50 km grid cell, not a forecast; coastal and mountain places can differ by a few degrees.
Search fares into ICN, then find guides and edits for it
What to buy there, where to find it, and what it replaces in your bag.
Occasion-first packing lists sized for a carry-on.
What to buy here, grouped by department and the season each edit was written for.
Winter
Carry-on relevance: Compression frees space for anything bought on the trip — especially relevant on shopping-heavy itineraries.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Carry-on relevance: Handy for carrying newly bought skincare home — it contains spills and takes no space on the outbound leg.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Winter
Uniqlo
Live price not verified yet. Check the retailer for today’s price.
Carry-on relevance: Base layers deliver warmth without bulk — far more packable than an extra sweater.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Uniqlo
Live price not verified yet. Check the retailer for today’s price.
Carry-on relevance: Warmth with almost no volume — it can sit in a personal item for cold planes and chilly evenings.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Winter
Carry-on relevance: A compact tube that fits easily in a liquids bag for the flight home.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Carry-on relevance: Bottle sizes vary; check capacity if you plan to carry it on the way home.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Carry-on relevance: Small enough to live in a personal item for the flight.
Direct link to the product page. No affiliate relationship.
Reviews planned or completed on trips here, and of products in our Seoul stories.
Our review of Slip's silk eye mask is in progress, planned for a long-haul flight and jet-lagged mornings in Seoul.
Our review of Uniqlo's packable down jacket is in progress, planned around a winter city break in Seoul.
Our review of Away's best-known hard-shell spinner is in progress; here is what we'll measure on a planned Paris city break.
Many participating stores offer tax refunds to foreign visitors, and some offer an immediate refund at the point of sale for purchases within certain limits. Others issue paperwork to process at the airport. Limits and procedures change, so check current rules.
Seoul winters are cold and dry, often below freezing, with clear skies. Summers are hot and humid, with a monsoon season typically from late June into July. A thin base layer and a packable down jacket handle winter without bulk.
Health-and-beauty chains such as Olive Young have branches across the city, and neighbourhoods like Myeongdong have dense clusters of brand stores. Duty-free shops at the airport and in the city are another option.
