Where to Grocery Shop in Seoul
Okay, if you're like me, when you first arrive you'll want to go to the grocery store to purchase some items for your apartment or dorm that you are staying in. The thing is, grocery shops look a little different in Seoul, so if you aren't sure where to look or how to find them, you may end up grocery shopping at your nearest 7/11. So I am here to assist you by giving you some grocery stores that you can go to to find more than just ramen and banana milk. These will vary depending on where you are living, but keep in mind that generally there will be a similar store near you, you may just have to go searching for it. Also, make sure to check the hours of the store before you decide to visit. I have gone to a couple of places first but forgot to check their hours, and they ended up being closed on those days.
Lotte Mart
Source: Solum ESL
There is a variety of Lotte Mart branches within Seoul and they can vary in size based upon their location. If you look on Naver Maps you can GPS the nearest Lotte Mart to you.
Source: KoreaToDo
E-Mart
Source: Pulse News Korea
E-Mart is not your typical grocery store, it has a variety of options but they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A lot of E-mart's are the size of a convenience store, so if you're looking for a larger variety make sure that you look at the size of the location before you visit.
Home Plus Mart
This is going to be similar to a Wal-Mart as it has grocery items along with clothing, home appliances, stationary, car necessities, and more. It is most famous for its reasonable prices as well, so definitely check this out out if you have time!
Foreign Food Mart
So you will most definitely find something you like at all of the above stores but if you are looking for something that you can't find in a Korean supermarket than you can go check out a foreign food mart. This one is located in Itaewon. It sells a lot of American brand products but may be more expensive than the typical grocery store.
Source: Google
Other
Additionally there will be plenty of smaller markets and convenient stores around where you live so don't worry if these larger stores are too far for you. Some convenient store chains that you will see everywhere are 7/11, GS25, and Nice to CU.
Sources
The Korea Herald
https://m.koreaherald.com/amp/view.php?ud=20150303000751
KoreaToDo
https://www.koreatodo.com/lotte-mart
Solum ESL
https://www.solumesl.com/en/case-studies/lottemart