Best Underground Shopping in Seoul 2026: GoTo Mall (고투몰) Guide
Korea Travel • Seoul Culture • Lifestyle & Slow Living
This is a 2026 guide to GoTo Mall (고투몰). Seoul’s most addictive underground shopping stretch in Gangnam for socks, hair accessories, cosy knits and clever little gifts.
Quick Summary: Is GoTo Mall Worth Visiting?
- Best for: Affordable fashion, playful socks, hair accessories, cosy knits
- Location: Express Bus Terminal Station, Gangnam
- Prices: Socks ₩1,000–₩5,000 • Knits ₩10,000–₩40,000
- When to go: Weekday mornings before midday crowds
- Worth it? Yes — if you enjoy high-low Seoul shopping contrast
Best Underground Shopping in Seoul: Why GoTo Mall Still Wins in 2026
Everyone knows Seoul is a shopping heaven. What’s easy to forget, until you land and your suitcase suddenly feels optimistic, is how Seoul lets luxury and the everyday coexist without feeling chaotic. One street can do heritage craft, indie ateliers, global designer flagships and then, quietly, a basement level that is pure practicality with a wink.
Gangnam is famous for polish, but it also has a very specific kind of charm when you go underground. GoTo Mall is where I go when I want something fun, useful and slightly ridiculous. The kind of thing that makes your friend laugh and then ask you to bring “three more pairs, please” next time.
I stop by almost every time I’m in Korea for one reason: socks. Europe has affordable socks, sure. But it’s genuinely hard to find the same playful variety. At GoTo Mall, you’ll see shelves of colours, textures, tiny embroidered jokes, sheer lace, cartoon faces and “why does this exist?” designs that somehow become your favourite.
One time, I gifted a friend a pair with a cheeky fast-food logo stitched on them. She wore them out. Strangers asked where they were from. Later she told me a TikTok street interviewer actually stopped her to ask about the socks. I remember feeling absurdly proud, like I’d discovered a small secret of Seoul and it had travelled perfectly.
This guide explores whether Goto Mall Seoul is worth visiting in 2026 — what to buy, what it really costs and how this underground shopping corridor quietly sits beneath Gangnam’s polished surface.
Beneath Gangnam
Seoul is often called a shopping paradise. But what makes it addictive is not simply the luxury. It’s the contrast.
You can leave a marble-floored flagship in Gangnam, perfume still lingering in the air, and five minutes later descend into a fluorescent underground corridor selling ₩3,000 embroidered socks and ₩10,000 oversized T-shirts stacked shoulder-high.
Above ground: polish. Below ground: practicality.
Goto Mall (고투몰) sits directly underneath Express Bus Terminal Station, almost hidden in plain sight. Around 600 small independent shops stretch along two long corridors. It isn’t glamorous. It isn’t curated. And yet I return every time I visit Korea. For socks.
The Case for Socks
In Europe, socks are functional. Black. White. Beige. Multipack. At Goto Mall Seoul, they are personality.
Three to five pairs for ₩10,000. Sheer embroidered pairs for ₩3,000. Thick winter sleep socks for ₩2,000–₩5,000.
Tiny strawberries stitched into the ankle. Minimal line drawings. Unexpected pop graphics that feel more charming than loud.
I once bought a pair embroidered with a fast-food logo and gave them to a friend, half as a joke. She wore them out and strangers kept asking where she had bought them. At one point she was even approached for a quick TikTok street-style interview.
When she told me, I felt ridiculously proud. Not because it was viral. Because it was socks.
That small, playful confidence feels very Seoul.
If you love Seoul’s high-low shopping rhythm, you might also enjoy my guide to The Hyundai Seoul, where spectacle and retail theatre feels completely different but equally addictive.
What You Can Actually Buy at GoTo Mall
GoTo Mall isn’t luxury, and it isn’t high street. It’s what Koreans call unbranded market fashion (보세) fashion. Independent market fashion. Fast-moving, trend-aware, affordable and sometimes surprisingly good.
- Socks from ₩1,000 to ₩5,000
- Hair accessories from ₩3,000 to ₩10,000
- Soft knit jumpers around ₩10,000 to ₩30,000
- Cardigans and thicker winter knits ₩20,000 to ₩40,000
- Cosy winter pyjamas around ₩15,000 to ₩30,000
You are not buying heritage tailoring. You are buying mood. Texture. Fun. Something to make an otherwise simple outfit feel considered.
What I Bought This Time
This visit was dangerously efficient. I went in for “just socks” and came out with the kind of bag that makes you walk a little faster, like you’re smuggling joy.
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| Five pairs. Sheer lemon-trimmed ones. A cartoon cat pair. Smiley stripes. Lace whites. All between ₩2,000 and ₩4,000 each. |
Small but perfect” GoTo Mall souvenir– ₩10000
If you want one “small but perfect” GoTo Mall souvenir, make it socks. They’re light, easy to gift and somehow more personal than anything else you can buy down there.
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| A navy fleece winter pyjama set. Warm, cosy and unapologetically comfortable. |
Fleece Winter Pyjamas – ₩25,000
I picked up a deep navy fleece set printed with clouds and tiny stars. The fabric is soft in that slightly synthetic Korean way — warm, cosy, unapologetically comfortable.
It’s not luxury loungewear. It’s winter survival chic.
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| Two tortoiseshell hairbands, a velvet scrunchie and a delicate silver necklace. All under ₩10,000 each. |
Hair Accessories & Small Details – ₩3,000–₩10,000
- A velvet rose scrunchie.
- A tortoiseshell headband.
- Minimal silver necklace with a tiny sphere detail.
These are the pieces you don’t overthink. They are not heirlooms. They are mood adjustments.
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| A soft pastel knit jumper for ₩10,000 that genuinely looks triple the price. |
Soft Pastel Sweater – ₩10,000
Yes. ₩10,000.
A pale blush knit with embroidered script across the chest. Slightly oversized. Slightly fluffy. Perfect layered under a coat.
The fabric is mostly wool mixed acrylic, let’s be honest, but visually? Completely charming.
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| A green striped knit that feels like something a Copenhagen stylist would throw over vintage denim. |
Men’s Knit Polo – ₩30,000
A structured cream knit with deep green stripes. Heavier weight. Surprisingly well shaped.
Goto Mall isn’t just for women. The men’s section often hides understated pieces that feel almost Scandinavian if styled right.
Where Is Goto Mall Seoul?
Goto Mall (고투몰) is located underground at Express Bus Terminal Station in Banpo, Gangnam.
It connects to Lines 3, 7 and 9. If you’re arriving via Line 9, Exit 8-1 leads directly into the shopping corridor.
The layout is long and linear. Two main corridors stretch almost endlessly, blending into one another. It can feel overwhelming at first. Then you fall into its rhythm.
- Station: Express Bus Terminal (Lines 3, 7, 9)
- Address: 200 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul
- Opening hours: 10:00–22:00 (varies by stall)
- Best time: Weekday mornings for space and calm
- Payment: Bring cash. Many stalls add a small card fee
- Connection: Direct access to Shinsegae Gangnam & Central City Shinsegae Gangnam and Central City
- Maps: Google Maps • Express Bus Terminal • Shinsegae Gangnam
What It Actually Costs
It isn’t a brand. It’s closer to a wholesale-style underground fashion market — mostly unbranded trend pieces (보세 fashion). That distinction matters when talking about price.
Oversized cotton T-shirts: ₩10,000–₩15,000 Ribbed long-sleeve tops: ₩15,000–₩20,000 Cardigans: ₩20,000–₩35,000 Chunky sweaters: ₩30,000–₩40,000
In much of Europe, similar pieces in high street stores typically sit around: Basic T-shirts: €12–€20 Cardigans: €35–€60 Sweaters: €40–€80
Prices are often noticeably lower. The trade-off is fabric composition. Many pieces are polyester or acrylic blends rather than wool-heavy knitwear. These are trend layers, not forever pieces. And that honesty feels refreshing.
The Small Details
Accessories are where Goto Mall Seoul quietly excels. Hair clips: ₩3,000–₩10,000 Ribbon bows: ₩5,000–₩10,000 Statement earrings: ₩5,000–₩12,000 Phone cases: ₩10,000–₩25,000
These are the details that shift an outfit without demanding commitment. They aren’t heirlooms. They are energy.
The Unexpected Section
The bedding stalls are easy to overlook. Duvet covers range from ₩40,000 to ₩90,000. Cushion covers sit between ₩10,000 and ₩25,000. Fleece blankets hover around ₩20,000–₩40,000. A friend furnished an entire student flat here. The prints were playful but restrained. The quality better than expected. There is something very Korean about caring for domestic details — even at accessible prices.
The Practical Reality
There are no fitting rooms. Most shops do not allow trying items on. If you are unsure, purchase carefully and exchange within a few days for sizing adjustments. Cash is preferred. Many price tags reflect cash pricing, and card payments may incur a small additional charge. After midday, especially at weekends, the corridors become dense and shoulder-to-shoulder. If you prefer calm, arrive at opening time on a weekday morning. The atmosphere shifts completely.
From Market to Marble
One of the most fascinating aspects of Goto Mall Seoul is its direct connection to Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam (신세계백화점 강남). Follow signs reading Shinsegae“신세계” or Department“백화점” along the main corridor and within minutes you move from underground market lighting to polished stone floors and curated luxury displays. Famille Station nearby offers cafés, restaurants and quieter air. The contrast feels intentional. Chaos and control. Polyester blend and cashmere. Market and marble. Both are Seoul.
For a slower Seoul mood after shopping, I often balance it with the Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA), or go full night energy with my Seoul pojangmacha guide.
Is Goto Mall Worth Visiting in 2026?
If you are looking for luxury shopping in Gangnam, this is not the destination. If you are looking for playful socks, accessible accessories and trend-led pieces at genuinely low prices, this underground stretch is absolutely worth your time.
It is not exceptional because it is beautiful. It is memorable because it is layered. Go early. Bring cash. Buy the socks. And then walk upstairs, just to feel the shift. That tension — between underground market and polished department store — is what stays with you.
Frequently Asked Questions About GoTo Mall Seoul
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| GoTo Mall is not just fashion. Between knitwear and socks, you’ll find pet outfits, cheese rolls and small joyful chaos. |
Is GoTo Mall cheaper than other Seoul shopping areas?
Yes. Prices are generally lower than department stores and many high street retailers. Most items are unbranded trend pieces, which keeps costs accessible.
What is GoTo Mall famous for?
It is best known for affordable socks, hair accessories, cosy knitwear and small trend-driven fashion items.
How long does it take to walk through GoTo Mall?
Expect 1–2 hours if browsing casually. The corridors are long and easy to get lost in — in the best way.
Is GoTo Mall good for tourists?
Yes. It’s centrally connected, easy to navigate via subway and offers lightweight items that are perfect for gifts.
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