Shopping in Yongsan Electronics Market

There are two main areas to shop for gadgets in Seoul: 용산전자시장/yongsan-jeonja-shijang (Yongsan Electronics Market, at Yongsan Subway Station) and 테크노마트/Technomart (at 강변역/Gangbyeon Subway Station). We went to Yongsan yesterday as Andrea (a teacher from Pusan who came up with her daughter Jess) wanted to get a super-cool Dica (Digital Camera in Konglish).

First though, on Friday night Minaz and I went to The Outsider bar near my place and I actually won something in the bingo game they usually have at 10PM. A soccer ball signed by the Suwon Samsung F.C. players! Oh ya!


My winning from The Outsider!

Ok, back to the dica. We looked at many places to find the thing. It was tough to find as it is brand new...the Sony T-11. It's so new it isn't even on the Sony USA website! Anyways, we found one. The guy started at 600,000 won. Then came down to 560,000 (about $486USD) including a 128K memory chip. It also has a cool docking station to recharge and sync with a PC and a massive display screen. After Minaz priced it at about 728USD equivalent (about 33% cheaper in Korea) after taxes it was a done deal. The thing rocks, too.


Andrea picking up her new Sony T-11 after Minaz check the price at futureshop.com

Looking around I was not surprised to see lovely ladies pitching goods here in almost every poster. Take a look at this one. Man, that is one thin waist. I guess the idea here is that both the notebook and her figure is very stunning...I mean thin.


Look how thin that notebook is (and her too)!

We tried to make a break for it but got way-laid in the DVD section on the bottom floor. This guy was a hoot. If you know Korean Gag-TV stars then all I have to say is that he's a natural. If not, then think: Korean Jim Carrey.


Jessica and her new friend.

The selection of DVDs was just incredible--some of which were not even in Korean theatres yet. However, some of them do not work 100%...like Minaz's copy of The Last Samurai where last, climactic scene was botched.


Collateral (not released in theatres in Korea yet) and Man on Fire (just watched it last week)...both on DVD for 5,000 won each.


Minaz, Sung Min (his DVD connection) and the Gag-Man of Yongsan Electronics Market.

After a dinner of rotisserie chicken and (for me) beer Minaz and I went to HongDae and ended up at Hodge Podge. It was pretty good there, we happened upon Rodgers and a group of Canadian English teachers...and at about midnight they had an 8 Mile-esque rap-off battle between Korean hip-hoppers for a 1,000,000 won (870USD) prize. Some of them sounded pretty bad and got booed off stage, but the winner was pretty good (although I hadn't a clue what he was talking about).


Mic Battle...just like 8 Mile!

I got home earlier than Minaz...getting old or something...and got a little sleep...inlining on Sunday (as you'll read).