Half day free in Seoul

[furyoo]

Hi all, I will be heading down to Seoul in two week's time for a business trip. Will only have half a day free and will be staying in Mapo-gu. Can anyone advise me on what I can do for half a day?

Understand that there's a Yongsan-gu nearby with really cheap electronic stuff. Perhaps someone might be in a better position to advise me on the following?

1. Electronic goods I shd look out for (good deals etc)
2. Shops I shd look out for (tourist traps, black sheep etc)
3. How to go to Yongsan from Mapo (understand I can take subway but it seems to go one round just to get to an area qte near Mapo)

Also, think I'll need to buy some cosmetics (a laundry list is building up). Anywhere convenient to buy these?

Thanks a lot!

[Webbyboy]

half a day is really very short. Most of electronics goods in Korea is expensive unless you don't mind Korean domestic brands, even with exchange rate now(S$1:W850), it's still more expensive than Singapore, so just imagine before this crisis the exchange rate was 650~700 only. If you want to go yongsan, you don't need to go directly to Yongsan station, you can change at gongdeok and samgakji station to go to Sinyongsan, from there you can walk to yongsan electronics mart area, about 10~15mins walk i think. Generally Koreans at the shops are honest, but language will be a big problem.

Cosmetic? Pharmacy there sells quite extensive range of cosmetic. There's alot of faceshop, missha, skinfood etc...shops around too. There's Laneige shop near mapo station, walk out of exit no.3 walk on right you should see a bank walk along that road further in and you will pass a eye doctor spectacle shop, and walk further and before you reach the edge turn to your east, on your right you should see it. If you can't find it, just ask people around where is it.

[furyoo]

Thanks for your advice. Hmm, is there anything you would recommend I buy there (besides souvenirs and electronics)?

[Webbyboy]

Apparel? It's getting colder there so those summer clothes useless..maybe there's alot of discounts around. Food items, ginseng. seaweed, traditional cakes/biscuits.