6 Best Places to Go Shopping in Pohang

Pohang Jungang Shopping Mall is a commercial district created around a stream in the city centre to allow citizens to enjoy shopping, culture and art at the same place. As the surrounding shopping areas are well interconnected with the stream, you can dine and take a break while shopping. The entire district is designated as a car-free zone, so you can shop as comfortably as taking a walk. On weekends, street performances and other various cultural events held in different locations make your shopping here a more exciting experience.

Many brand shops and a selection of different stores are concentrated in the streets around the stream, enabling you to purchase various products in one go. At night, Yeongilman Chingu Night Market opens here and sells various kinds of street foods such as skewers and grilled meat, so you can appease your hunger while looking around the market. If you want to enjoy shopping in the lively atmosphere of the city centre, visit the Pohang Jungang Shopping Mall.

Jukdo Market is a representative permanent market in Pohang, consisting of three different markets. Located in the heart of the city, the market boasts an enormous size and offers a variety of foods. There are more than 2,500 stores in the market, selling a wide array of products including seafood, agricultural products, clothing, toys, and tableware.

Jukdo Market was created by combining Jukdo Market, Jukdo Fish Market, and Jukdo Agricultural Market. The most visited of the three is the fish market, where you can buy seafood at affordable prices and taste fresh raw fish at specialised restaurants concentrated in the market. Cold raw fish soup (mulhoe), abalone porridge containing whole abalone, and half-dried saury (gwamegi) are some of the most popular foods. You can also find various snacks such as griddlecake with sugar filling (hotteok) and snow crab bread (daegeppang), which are worth trying.

Lotte Department Store Pohang is a complex shopping space where you can find a variety of items from foods, miscellaneous goods, clothing, and daily necessities under one roof. It consists of a total of 10 floors, with the first floor selling miscellaneous goods and cosmetics, and the upper floors featuring stores for women's fashion, outdoor gear and clothing, men's fashion, children's wear, home appliances, and furniture.

The food section located on the basement floor has been refurbished into a space catering for both old and new generations. The department store offers regular and special discounts by season, so don't miss the opportunity to buy fine products at reasonable prices. You can focus on your shopping in a comfortable and convenient environment that is well-equipped with cafes, lockers, and stroller rentals.

Guryongpo Market, with a fairly large seafood section, is a place where you can shop for a wide range of seafood, as well as seasonal fruits, meat, and dried seafood. As Pohang is a city adjacent to the sea, you can purchase fresh seasonal seafood difficult to find in inland cities at affordable prices.

In winter, many restaurants at Guryongpo serve gwamegi (half-dried saury), a popular local specialty. Also check out freshly prepared seafood, such as semi-dried squid called “pidegi” by locals, salted fish, spiny lobster, swordtip squid, sea snails, and various kinds of dried seafood. Don't forget to try the market's signature dish “moriguksu,” which is spicy seafood noodles made with the leftovers of the fish sold that day.

Cheongha Market is a traditional 5-day market that operates in Cheonghae-myeon, Pohang, and has the atmosphere unique to a rural market. The market is open on the days ending in 1 and 6 every month, so if the date suits you, make sure to visit the market. In this small and rustic market, you can see many local elderly women sell simple foods or miscellaneous goods.

Cheongha Market is also famous for restaurants serving stir-fried pork (duruchigi) and beef stew (sojjigae). A hearty bowl of thick beef stew and stir-fried pork served with leaf wraps will satisfy your palate. Visit on a market day to buy groceries for the day and taste the heart-warming local dishes. The number of tourists visiting Cheongha Market has increased as it is known as the filming location of the Korean drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. Spend a fun-filled day looking around the rustic market and visit the places that appeared in the drama.

Lotte Mart is a large-sized supermarket where you can purchase a variety of foods and household goods at discounted prices. As it is a one-storey store, you can quickly look around the store and pick the items you need. It has a nice fresh food section, and fashion goods from several brands and daily necessities can also be found.

The store is usually not very crowded, and the spacious parking lot provides easy and convenient access. There are sometimes special offers and promotions, so make the most of them to shop more economically. Lotte Mart is a good place to shop for groceries or daily necessities in one go. The Daiso shop, which is located inside the store, provides a wide range of items for daily use at low prices. If you need anything during your trip, don't forget to stop on by.