There is one good thing about the handful of convenient stores in Korea. Located in all areas which include popular tourist areas and hidden alleys, these convenient stores can be the biggest life saviors. Not only are they opened late hours, heck 24 hours, it is the one spot to go to for cheap goodies (including amusement parks and other family places Americans would raise the price at). They offer all kinds of daily necessities, making traveling and everyday life that much easier. A few of the more popular convenient stores in Korea are Family Mart, Buy the Way, GS 25, CVS, and 7-11 (but its nothing like the ones back at home).
Although the name varies, they generally all have the same goodies inside. Depending on the size and location of the store, you may be able to find more goodies than in other locations. Basic toiletries like any corner store can be found: tissues, pens, toothbrushes, cups, utensils, and a handful of packaged foods that can be cooked in the comfort of your own home (spam, rice, cereal, sauces and such). Moving on to the more important goodies in these convenient stores is the food of course!
For starters, Koreans love breads and baked goods so you can always find some sort of pastry for those who are in a rush. You can find the weirdest kinds sometimes which makes me wonder if there is anything that Koreans can NOT come up with? Although most packaged pastries we at room temperature, some stores offer warm breads fill with red bean jams and such.
One of the more popular goodies to have is the ramen of course. There is hot water available to cook up a bowl of ramen. The best part is being able to upgrade your ramen with sausages, eggs, fish cakes, and the many other microwaveables that are available. Each convenient store has their own microwave that is ready to be used so you can be as creative as possible. You'll be amazed at what you can find!
For those who aren't looking for a full on meal with their ramen can pick up a kimbap. There are cheap triangle kimbaps that are less than a dollar or even a two dollar roll! In addition to kimbaps there are cold cut sandwiches with all kinds of flavors and even half half selections. Yeap, half ham and cheese sandwich, half spicy chicken, my all time favorite to get the best of both worlds.
Looking for warm goodies? There are microwaveable burgers that are in the bag. Simply microwave and grub. Talk about fast food! They also offer hot dogs, pizzas, and a whole bunch of random microwaveables that you can consume within minutes. If you're looking for a healthy option, many stores offer fruits and such. It is definitely the place to go for a quick, cheap meal.
The one thing that the States should adapt from the Korean convenient stores is the warm fridge. Yes! The warm fridge. Ever go to the store and just want a hot drink that is not powdered or is not as fancy as a Starbucks cup of coffee or tea? There's an invention here in Korea that keeps drinks warm. This is not limited to coffees, teas, vitamin drinks and juices. You name it, they have it. It's a high controlled temperature box that keeps bottle and canned drinks warm. Usually this fridge is by the microwaves, but it differs from store to store. There is even some open fridges that are fancy and have different temperature rows. One row of coffees may be cold whereas the other is warm. This is probably my one obsession with Korean convenient stores other than a low priced lunch. There's nothing better than being able to pick up a can of hot tea to soothe a sore throat as easy as 1-2-3.
Moral of the story is do not underestimate what you can find in a convenient store. You'll be surprised how you can live off of your corner store for a week of travel. Be sure to be health conscious of what you are consuming though. After all, these packaged goods have been sitting around for a while and they must be packaged in a certain way so there is a high concentration of sodium. Of course a meal a week wouldn't hurt, unless you're dieting!
Bonespe is bakery, a Lotte trade that is in almost all of the Lotte Department stores of Seoul. There is a Bonespe bakery located in Cheonho, along Cheonho Rodeo, a popular drinking and eating street. With freshly baked pastries and breads, Bonespe offers a handful of delicious goodies to be purchased while you're shopping around for everything else. Furthermore, they offer packaged goodies that are extremely popular among Koreans to give as gifts and cakes to enjoy in a group setting.
It is one of the Korean favorites to bring home to enjoy with the family as well as a quick bite while shopping. The best part is the sale price that Lotte Department stores offer for their baked goodies. On average, pastries range from a little over a dollar to two, but they can be picked up as a lot for under a dollar. This is a deal considering breads and pastries are extremely popular in Korea, especially as a snack to share with co-workers. Like many other Korean bakeries, Bonespe offers the same kinds of pastries, but of course with their own twist as well. Be sure to pick up a freshly baked pastry to enjoy with your family or to refuel for a day of shopping!
