Top Souvenirs to Bring Back from Korea
Anyoung haseyo!
by Shen Mascariñas | June 01, 2016
Despite the wealthy supply of Korean influences in the PH—from Koreanovelas to restaurants—it seems Pinoys still can’t get enough. South Korea remains to be a tourist hotspot, filling our social media feeds with posts of Korea (and our hearts with envy).
Got your ticket, visa and itinerary down? Great! But for the sake of your relationships back home, don’t forget about pasalubong. Here are top souvenirs to take care of that.
Makgeolli
For alcohol, soju is the obvious choice—and perhaps too predictable at that. Satisfy your soju cravings in the Philippines, and try Makgeolli while you’re in Korea instead. It’s a fizzy, white, alcoholic beverage that you shouldn’t miss out on. Look forward to a drink that’s creamy, refreshing and distinctly Korean. There are great flavors, like strawberry and banana, to choose from as well.
But if you’re really a soju fan, go hoard the Jinro variety. Also, try your best to sample some watermelon soju, which is served in an actual, hollowed out watermelon. You won’t be able to bring home the latter, but you can try to recreate it for your friends back home.
BB Cream
Before western and local brands offered BB Creams, it was Korea that introduced this wonder product to the market. For that, we owe them a huge THANK YOU. And if you want to show appreciation to the women in your life as well, Korean BB Creams ought to do it.
They’ll be so happy with a product bringing them closer to smooth, pore-less, Korean skin. Even girls that don’t really wear makeup will love this all-in-one face cream. Just some brands to watch out for are Innisfree, Too Cool for School and Laneige.
Skin Care
Korean makeup is undoubtedly topnotch, but Koreans don’t only look dewy-fresh because of makeup. Most of them have great skin to start with, and that’s because of Korean skincare. From organic and natural to unique and bizarre—South Korea offers a plethora of skincare products that make wonderful pasalubong.
The safe, almost foolproof, option is to get facial masks. But if the recipient is more adventurous, how about a Blackhead Silk Finger Ball or Facial Slimming Mask?
Adorable Socks
Dirty feet is a huge no-no for Koreans, so you might want to get a foot spa before your trip. But because of this quirk, Korea has become a haven for unique and cute socks. Look forward to a wide variety of designs that surely has one for every personality. Imagine dressing your feet as a Minion, Superman or Super Mario. Got anyone back home that would squeal from this pasalubong?
Tteokbokki-Flavored Snacks
You can indulge on tteokbokki, or spicy Korean rice cakes, easily during your stay in South Korea. You can find this sweet, spicy and sticky snack in practically every street—just as how you would find fish ball and banana cue in the Philippines.
While it’ll be hard to bring home actual tteokbokki, you can get the second best thing. Korean groceries offer a lot of tteokbokki-flavored snacks in the form of crackers, chips and instant noodles.
Got any must-buy Korean souvenirs to add? Sound off below!
