Read Part 2 HERE !
Dusk had fallen by the time we resurfaced at Myeongdong station some thirty minutes later. The evening gradient was irrefutably stunning, providing a blue-pink ombré backdrop for the infamous, multi-storey Daiso building.
Surprisingly, we didn't enter the Daiso at all. Rather, we became distracted by The North Face flagship and entered into the building without a second thought.
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The product lineup was arranged across three floors. B1 was the equivalent of ground level, and featured a basic selection. It was also the busiest floor at our time of visit, naturally prompting me to escape to the upper levels.
Unfortunately, the other levels were strictly accessible by a single elevator; stairs were not an option. Due to its compact size, a member of staff hovered nearby to control entry numbers. A queue began to form in front of the elevator, and eventually cleared about three rounds of transporting customers up and down. Although the elevator offered service to the basement level as well, there were posted instructions to use the stairs outside the physical store as opposed to navigating directly. Suffice to say, the store design and navigability were remarkably poor.
Unfortunately, the other levels were strictly accessible by a single elevator; stairs were not an option. Due to its compact size, a member of staff hovered nearby to control entry numbers. A queue began to form in front of the elevator, and eventually cleared about three rounds of transporting customers up and down. Although the elevator offered service to the basement level as well, there were posted instructions to use the stairs outside the physical store as opposed to navigating directly. Suffice to say, the store design and navigability were remarkably poor.
I had my eye on level 1's White Label, for the collection was exclusive to Korea and advertised heavily by celebrities and media portals. Surely enough, posters and standees of celebrity spokespeople greeted us at entry. Promotional posters of Cha Eunwoo were positioned throughout the store. Meanwhile, an autographed standee of Jeon Somi was placed by the elevator.
Down coats were still thoroughly stocked, despite the arguably warm temperatures (low to mid teens). Both of us were drawn to the sale rack. While a discounted waterproof jacket caught my attention, the sizing and fit was off. I ultimately took to a small, black crossbody pouch instead, sheerly for the purpose of owning a White Label product. This floor also carried non-The North Face-branded items, thus allowing acquisition of an Outdoor Research waterproof cap by my browsing partner. The cashier noted the store did not issue instant tax refunds, but that customers could use the self-serve kiosk at the airport or in the store. As for the kiosk's precise coordinates, this was not specified.
I don't recall perusal of the Special Price/Pop-Up area on level 2, which leads me to believe that the floor was either closed or featured minimal items of interest. Generally speaking, the store offered a smaller selection than anticipated, with few sales to boot.
Down coats were still thoroughly stocked, despite the arguably warm temperatures (low to mid teens). Both of us were drawn to the sale rack. While a discounted waterproof jacket caught my attention, the sizing and fit was off. I ultimately took to a small, black crossbody pouch instead, sheerly for the purpose of owning a White Label product. This floor also carried non-The North Face-branded items, thus allowing acquisition of an Outdoor Research waterproof cap by my browsing partner. The cashier noted the store did not issue instant tax refunds, but that customers could use the self-serve kiosk at the airport or in the store. As for the kiosk's precise coordinates, this was not specified.
I don't recall perusal of the Special Price/Pop-Up area on level 2, which leads me to believe that the floor was either closed or featured minimal items of interest. Generally speaking, the store offered a smaller selection than anticipated, with few sales to boot.
Near the front of the store was a Hangul capsule collection. Crafted in collaboration with a local artist, the assortment spanned T-shirts, hats (beanies and caps), and canvas totes. In essence, the designs were simplistic, deriving from modern day Hangul and re-configured into a single symbol - or at least a compact variation of it.
I was intrigued by the 사람 design on black, but wasn't completely convinced to purchase. There was absolutely no shortage of bags in the store, causing me to debate between a multitude of black TNF canvas totes - some illustrating the silhouette of Seoul while others adorned with the Myeongdong label for specificity. In the end, I couldn't decide on any. All tote bags were returned to the shelves or racks from which they originated.
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