Where to buy home-country food in Korea
Foreign groceries
Big import grocers, a warehouse club, and the market streets where communities shop, in Seoul and Ansan, plus online shops that ship nationwide.
No single store has everything. Foreign food in Korea clusters by community: South Asian groceries in Itaewon and Hannam, Southeast Asian in the Ansan (Wongok-dong) market belt, Russian and Central Asian on Central Asia Street in Dongdaemun, and Japanese in Ichon. Several stores ship nationwide, which is the practical route if you live outside these areas. For halal meat specifically, see the halal directory.
General / mixed
3 listedForeign Food Mart
포린푸드마트
137-8 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Online shop available
Itaewon's main general international mart: US, European, South and Southeast Asian, and halal products. Open daily 10am-midnight; online shop ships nationwide.
Fornur (formerly Forpang)
Online, ships nationwide
A nationwide online marketplace for international and halal groceries, now called Fornur (previously Forpang, and Shejang before that). forpang.com still redirects there. Free delivery over ₩50,000. Useful if you live outside Seoul.
Costco Korea (Yangjae warehouse)
코스트코 코리아 양재점
159 Yangjae-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul
Online shop available
A membership warehouse club selling Korean and foreign-brand food and household goods, with branches across Korea and an online mall. Yangjae is open 08:00 to 22:00 and closed on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. You need a Costco membership to shop.
Southeast Asian
2 listedAnsan Multicultural Street (Wongok-dong)
원곡동 다문화거리
Wongok-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do (near Ansan Station, Line 4)
Korea's densest multicultural neighborhood: within a short walk of Ansan Station are dozens of Vietnamese, Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, Nepali, and Central Asian grocery shops. A district, not one storefront.
Hyehwa Philippine Market
혜화 필리핀 마켓
Near Hyehwa Station Exit 1, Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
A Sunday-only outdoor market running since the 1990s: Filipino snacks, produce, ready meals, and personal-care products. Roughly noon to 5pm. Not a permanent shop.
Japanese
1 listedMono Mart (Ichon)
모노마트 이촌점
300-3 Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
A Japanese grocery chain with several Seoul-area branches: sauces, noodles, snacks, and imported Japanese ingredients. The Ichon branch is in Seoul's Little Tokyo. Hours are reportedly limited (weekdays only), so confirm by phone before going.
Planning your monthly budget?
The cost-of-living guide breaks down groceries, rent, utilities, and everyday spending so you know what to expect each month.
Read: Cost of living in Korea →