Bottom line: Daiso Korea is a fixed-price store where everything costs ₩500 to ₩5,000; the tourist must-buys are ₩1,000 to ₩5,000 skincare, K-snacks like mini yakgwa and ₩3,000 travel gear, and the Myeongdong stores list tax refund in Daiso’s own store finder.
🇰🇷 Quick Korea Travel Guide
👉 Getting in: Check K-ETA requirements and the e-Arrival Card before you fly.
👉 Stay in Touch (eSIM): Grab a Korea eSIM on Airalo before you land, so Daiso’s stock checker and your translator work inside the store, or compare it with a SIM and pocket WiFi first.
👉 Download New Apps: See our Naver Map in English guide to find the nearest Daiso branch.
👉 Where to Book Activities: Daiso is a walk-in stop, so there is nothing to book. Pair it with a prepaid WOWPASS card for cashless payment and plan the area with our Myeongdong guide.
👉 Getting Around: Read our T-money vs Climate Card guide before your first subway ride; tourists use the Climate Card short-term pass.
👉 For more in-depth planning: Browse all our Korea Travel guides.
👉 Disclosure: the Airalo and KKday links in this guide are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Daiso Korea: The Short Answer
- Prices: six fixed price points, ₩500 to ₩5,000. Nothing costs more.
- Best store: Myeongdong Station Store, a 12-storey branch open 10:00 to 22:00.
- Beauty: the ₩1,000 VT PDRN sheet mask was the top beauty item with foreign shoppers in Daiso’s 2026 data.
- Snacks: Samlip Mini Honey Yakgwa was the best-selling food with foreign shoppers.
- Travel gear: a foldable shoulder bag costs ₩3,000.
- Sold out? Daiso Mall’s stock tool shows which zone of a branch holds an item.
- Tax refund: listed at the Myeongdong, Hongdae and Gangnam Station stores; ₩15,000 minimum per receipt, physical passport.
- Daiso vs Olive Young: Daiso for minis and trial sizes, Olive Young for full-size bottles.
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What this guide covers
What Is Daiso Korea?
Daiso Korea is a chain of fixed-price household stores run by the Korean company Asung Daiso. The founder’s message on its official site says it opened Korea’s first fixed-price household store in 1997 and has kept a uniform-price policy since. Korean press counts about 1,500 stores nationwide.
Korean business press reports six price points: ₩500, ₩1,000, ₩1,500 and ₩2,000 at launch, ₩3,000 added in 2004 and ₩5,000 in 2006. Every single-item price on Daiso Mall on 6 October 2026 fell on one of them.
Why the TikTok hype? Daiso has moved from cleaning supplies into cheap beauty, and Korean press reports that big beauty companies keep adding Daiso-only lines. Daiso told Hankyung its foreign card payments rose 60% in 2025 and about 70% year on year in January to March 2026. The Korean phrase on social media is “품절대란”, a sold-out frenzy.
1. The Best Daiso Korea Stores for Tourists
Every branch uses the same price points, but the big tourist-area stores carry more beauty stock and list tax refund. Details below are from Daiso’s official store finder, as of 6 October 2026.
Daiso Myeongdong Station Store (the 12-floor one)
- Address and hours: 134-1 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, by Myeongdong Station (Line 4); 10:00 to 22:00, with an elevator and tax refund listed.
- Size: Money Today reported the store fills 1F to 12F, has about 30 self-checkouts and takes 60 to 70% of sales from foreign visitors.
- Floors: travellers report checkout on 1F, beauty on 2F and travel goods near the top. Check the directory by the lifts.
Other tourist branches
- Myeongdong Main Store: 43 Myeongdong-gil, 10:00 to 22:00, tax refund listed.
- Hongdae: Hongdae Ipgu Store (25 Hongik-ro) and Hongdae 2nd Store (182 Yanghwa-ro), tax refund listed.
- Gangnam and Seongsu: Gangnam Station Store (422 Gangnam-daero) and Ttukseom Station Store (6 Achasan-ro), tax refund listed.
On Chuseok day 2026 Daiso opened only some directly run stores, and no Myeongdong branch was on the list, so check Daiso’s notices around Chuseok and Seollal. More on the area is in our Myeongdong guide.
2. What to Buy at Daiso Korea: Beauty
Beauty is why most visitors queue. Daiso’s own foreign-shopper figures, reported by Hankyung in April 2026, put the VT PDRN glow sheet mask first, followed by two Vaseline sheet masks. Money Today put those masks at ₩1,000 each.
Daiso Mall’s weekly ranking adds what Koreans buy online right now. Beauty items in its top 30 on 6 October 2026:
- VT PDRN glow sheet mask: ₩1,000; the matching toner (200 ml) and cream (50 ml) are ₩5,000 each.
- VT Reedle Shot 100 and 300 (2 ml x 6 sachets): ₩3,000 each.
- Bonsep Vita-C double-shot ampoule kit and Retinol 2500 IU wrinkle shot: ₩5,000 each.
- Fusiderm SOS cream, Madeca21 soothing mist toner and By Real Barrier Cerabase cream: ₩5,000 each.
- Medi-Peel Melanon X cream (30 ml): ₩5,000.
Daiso Mall’s brand filter also lists AHC, The Face Shop, Leaders, Nature Republic, MIMO by Mamonde and Dove, plus Etude’s Play 101 cushion at ₩5,000. Many are smaller or Daiso-only versions, so compare millilitres, not just price. Our Olive Young shopping list covers the full sizes.
3. Daiso Korea Snacks Worth Packing
In Daiso’s foreign-shopper data the top food was Samlip Mini Honey Yakgwa, a honey cookie Money Today priced at ₩1,500, followed by Honey Butter Almond & Peanut and Hershey chocolate chip mochi cookies. Daiso Mall’s weekly food ranking on 6 October 2026 also had mini Choco Loops cookies and Ottogi Sesame Ramen at ₩1,000 and coconut chips at ₩1,500.
The snack range is narrower than a supermarket; for late-night ramyeon see our Korea convenience store guide, and check your home country’s food import rules.
4. Stationery, Character Goods and Travel Gear
The upper floors save your trip. Daiso Mall prices for travel goods on 6 October 2026:
- Foldable shoulder bag: ₩3,000, rated 4.8 from 3,792 reviews.
- Packing mesh pouches: ₩1,000 to ₩2,000; large compression pouch ₩5,000.
- Luggage scales: ₩3,000 to ₩5,000.
- Travel multi adapter with two USB ports: ₩5,000.
For gifts, Hello Kitty and My Melody bandages (₩1,000) were climbing Daiso Mall’s ranking, and the electronics wall sells cables and chargers for ₩3,000 to ₩5,000.
5. Sold-Out Daiso Korea Items and How to Check Stock
Viral launches do sell out. Daiso Mall’s “Open Run” page lists upcoming launch times and offers alerts, including for restocks.
Its “sold out soon” page tracks online items with five or fewer left: 872 at 10:16 on 6 October 2026.
In Seoul, use the store stock check. It works in a browser without logging in:
- On Daiso Mall, tap 매장 상품 찾기 (“find products in store”).
- Search the product (for example “VT 리들샷 100”) and select it.
- Search the branch (for example “명동역점”, Myeongdong Station) and select it.
- Read the store zone and approximate stock.
For a must-have item, call Daiso’s store line (1522-4400, weekdays 09:00 to 18:00) or ask staff. The site is in Korean; browser translation is enough.
The key picks at a glance
| Item | Category | Daiso price (6 Oct 2026) | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| VT PDRN glow sheet mask | Beauty | ₩1,000 | Top beauty item with foreign shoppers (Daiso) |
| Vaseline sheet masks | Beauty | ₩1,000 | #2 and #3 with foreign shoppers |
| VT Reedle Shot 100 (2 ml x 6) | Beauty | ₩3,000 | “900k+ bought” on Daiso Mall |
| Bonsep Vita-C ampoule kit | Beauty | ₩5,000 | Daiso Mall weekly beauty top 10 |
| Samlip Mini Honey Yakgwa | Snack | ₩1,500 | Top food with foreign shoppers (Daiso) |
| Foldable shoulder bag | Travel | ₩3,000 | 4.8 from 3,792 reviews |
| Luggage scale | Travel | ₩3,000 to ₩5,000 | Avoids overweight fees |
| Hello Kitty bandages | Gift | ₩1,000 | Rising on Daiso Mall |
6. Tax Refund, Payment and Packing at Daiso Korea
Can you get a tax refund at Daiso Korea?
Yes, at participating branches. Daiso’s store finder shows a tax refund icon for the Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam Station, Express Bus Terminal and Ttukseom Station stores, but not every branch. The national rules from the Korea Tourism Organization apply:
- Spend ₩15,000 or more on one receipt, and ask for tax refund before you pay.
- Show your physical passport at the till.
- Immediate refund covers a single payment of ₩15,000 to under ₩1,000,000, up to ₩5,000,000 per trip.
- Stay under six months, keep goods unused and leave Korea within three months.
Some branches deduct tax at the till and others hand you a slip for the airport, so ask at checkout. The refund operator’s fee comes off, so expect less than 10%. Our Korea tax refund guide covers the limits.
Paying and packing
Foreign cards work: Daiso’s growth figures are foreign card payments. Some branches are flagged “cashless store” in the store finder, so a card is the safe default; see how much cash to bring to Korea for elsewhere. The stock checker needs data, so set up a Korea eSIM such as Airalo before you land. If you would rather not use your home card, a prepaid WOWPASS also works as a T-money card.
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- Buy the ₩3,000 foldable bag first, then shop.
- Liquids over 100 ml go in checked luggage under cabin security rules; sheet masks pack flat.
- Keep tax-refund items and receipts reachable at the airport in case customs asks.
Daiso Korea vs Olive Young: Which Should You Visit?
Both. They do different jobs.
| Daiso Korea | Olive Young | |
|---|---|---|
| Price range | ₩500 to ₩5,000 per item | Full brand pricing, frequent sales |
| Pack sizes | Small and Daiso-only versions | Full-size bottles and sets |
| Best for | Masks, sachets, snacks, gifts, travel gear | Serums, sunscreen, brand ranges |
| Myeongdong hours | 10:00 to 22:00 | 10:00 to 22:30 (Myeongdong Town) |
| 2025 revenue (reported) | ₩4.54 trillion | ₩5.85 trillion |
The overlap is real: VT Reedle Shot 100 is ₩3,000 for six 2 ml sachets at Daiso Korea, while Olive Young listed the 30 ml double set at ₩31,500 on 6 October 2026. Try it at Daiso, then buy the bottle if it works. See our Olive Young Seoul store guide, the Olive Young sale calendar and Korean pharmacy skincare.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Comparing price without size. A ₩3,000 sachet pack may hold only 12 ml.
- Leaving your passport at the hotel. No physical passport, no tax refund.
- Splitting baskets under ₩15,000. Each receipt must reach the minimum.
- Assuming every branch refunds tax. Check the icon in Daiso’s store finder.
- Visiting on Chuseok or Seollal day. Most stores close.
- Trusting the stock checker blindly. Go early on launch days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I buy at Daiso Korea?
Start with Daiso’s foreign-shopper bestsellers: the VT PDRN sheet mask and Vaseline sheet masks (₩1,000) and Samlip Mini Honey Yakgwa, then VT Reedle Shot sachets (₩3,000) and a ₩3,000 foldable bag.
How much do things cost at Daiso Korea?
Six price points: ₩500, ₩1,000, ₩1,500, ₩2,000, ₩3,000 and ₩5,000. Nothing costs more than ₩5,000.
Which Daiso in Myeongdong is the biggest?
Myeongdong Station Store at 134-1 Toegye-ro, reported to fill 12 floors. It opens 10:00 to 22:00.
Can tourists get a tax refund at Daiso Korea?
Yes, at branches with the tax refund icon in Daiso’s store finder, including Myeongdong, Hongdae and Gangnam Station. Spend ₩15,000 or more on one receipt and show your physical passport.
Is Daiso skincare in Korea good?
It is real brands such as VT, Medi-Peel and AHC, often in smaller or Daiso-only sizes. Use it to test a product cheaply.
How do I check if Daiso has an item in stock?
Use “매장 상품 찾기” on Daiso Mall: pick the product and the branch to see the store zone and approximate stock.
Is Daiso cheaper than Olive Young?
Per item, yes, because Daiso caps prices at ₩5,000. Per millilitre it depends, so compare sizes.
What time does Daiso open in Seoul?
The Myeongdong, Hongdae and Gangnam Station stores list 10:00 to 22:00; most stores close on Chuseok and Seollal day.
Where Should You Shop After Daiso?
With your Daiso Korea haul done, head to Olive Young with our what to buy at Olive Young list, then check the duty free limits. Arriving soon? Read Incheon Airport to Seoul, our eSIM comparison and the best time to visit Korea.
Sources (official pages checked)
- Daiso Mall, store finder and store stock check, 6 October 2026 — daisomall.co.kr
- Daiso Mall, weekly sales ranking, Open Run and sold-out-soon pages — daisomall.co.kr
- Asung Daiso, founder’s message (uniform-price policy) — daiso.co.kr
- Asung Daiso, stores open on Chuseok day 2026 — daiso.co.kr
- Korea Tourism Organization, Duty Free and Tax Refunds — english.visitkorea.or.kr
- Hankyung, Daiso foreign card payments and bestsellers, 23 April 2026 — hankyung.com
- Money Today, Daiso Myeongdong Station Store, 16 February 2026 — mt.co.kr
- Herald Corporation, history of Daiso’s price points, 2024 — heraldcorp.com
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Last checked October 2026: Daiso Korea prices, rankings, hours and services against Daiso Mall and daiso.co.kr (6 October 2026), tax refund rules against the Korea Tourism Organization, and sales figures as reported by Hankyung and Money Today.
