"It Was a Treasure Trove Known Only to Koreans"... Overseas Millennial and Gen Z Parents Are Also Flocking to 'This Market' to Shop in Person

Korean Children's Clothing Draws Tourists from Hong Kong and the Middle East
Vacancy Rate Falls from 40% to 15%... A Hotspot for "Digging Shopping"

"I bought 26 outfits for my child to wear throughout the year, and it only cost 60,000 won. The designs are pretty and the quality is good, so I plan to come back."

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Once known as a go-to destination for affordable children's clothing among Korean parents, Seoul's Namdaemun Market is now emerging as a shopping hotspot for young parents from overseas. As Korean children's clothing gains popularity through social media, more tourists from Hong Kong, Taiwan and even the Middle East are visiting the market in person, browsing its stores to pick out clothes for their children.

"Not Just Cheap Clothes"...Korean Children's Clothing Gains Popularity Overseas

Namdaemun's children's clothing district took shape in the 1980s as Korean children's clothing manufacturers and wholesalers gathered there. But it went through a slump for some time as demand for children's clothing in Korea fell due to the low birth rate and foreign tourists stopped visiting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Store closures and conversions to other businesses followed one after another.

The mood has changed completely in recent years. Videos introducing Korean children's clothing and customer reviews have spread overseas through social media, bringing foreign tourists and overseas retailers back to Namdaemun.

A view of Namdaemun's children's clothing street. Screenshot from Instagram.

According to the Korea Customs Service, exports of infant clothing rose from $5.064 million in 2023 to $12.187 million in 2025, more than doubling in two years. Overseas sales reached $9.302 million from January to September 2026. A merchant who has sold children's clothing at Namdaemun Market for 30 years said, "We get the most tourists from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and recently, we've also seen more customers from the Middle East."

In addition to foreign tourists, overseas retailers also buy goods directly from the market. A children's clothing store in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, regularly visits Namdaemun Market to buy Korean children's clothing and sell it locally. Some foreign retailers even livestream from Namdaemun stores, showing products to overseas consumers and taking orders.

As Foreign Shoppers Arrive, Vacant Store Rate Falls from 40% to 15%, Reviving the District

Shoes and clothes are displayed at a children's clothing store in Namdaemun Market. Screenshot from Naver Blog: @hyorjina, minimidmi

The influx of foreign customers is also breathing life back into the commercial district after a prolonged slump. According to Namdaemun Market, the vacancy rate in its children's clothing shopping arcades, which once climbed as high as 40% in 2021, has recently fallen to around 15%. As customer numbers grew, stores extended their hours. Since this spring, merchants in Namdaemun's children's clothing district have pushed their closing time back by an hour, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

In Korea, too, more parents in their 20s and 30s are choosing to shop for their children's clothes by visiting markets in person instead of going to department stores or buying from major brands. Rather than simply looking for inexpensive products, they compare fabric, design and price, and are willing to spend more on locally made items they like.

According to Euromonitor, Korea's infant and children's clothing market grew from 1.9146 trillion won in 2019 to 2.6295 trillion won in 2025. By contrast, the luxury infant and children's clothing market peaked at 397.4 billion won in 2023 before edging down to 394.7 billion won in 2025. Industry insiders say young parents are actively embracing "value-conscious consumption," weighing price, quality and design together rather than opting for expensive brands.

Jade Rings, Bowls and Exfoliating Towels...Emerging as a Hub for "Vintage Cool"

Content such as "jade rings, tableware, vintage watches, and children's clothing" that appear in searches alongside Namdaemun Market. Screenshot from Instagram.

Namdaemun Market is also known as a go-to destination for discovering vintage products, not just children's clothing. A new shopping trend known as "digging shopping" is taking hold among young consumers: they seek out products they have seen on social media by making the trip to Namdaemun Market themselves.

For example, jade rings, once worn mainly by middle-aged and older people, have recently emerged among young people as a "jade core" fashion accessory. Posts sharing the locations of jade ring stores in Namdaemun and reviews of purchases have followed on social media. Young consumers are flocking to tableware shops once frequented by people buying household goods for their weddings, looking for plates for their studio apartments or cups for home cafes. More people are also visiting the market to buy sauna supplies such as exfoliating towels and bath bags.

Once seen as a traditional market for wedding goods and household items, Namdaemun Market is transforming into a "trendy shopping destination" for both Korea's Millennials & Gen Z and foreign tourists. With Korean children's clothing gaining word-of-mouth popularity among overseas consumers on the strength of its competitive prices, design and quality, demand from foreign shoppers visiting Namdaemun is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.