Daiso Korea: What to Buy, Six Prices, Myeongdong Floors, Tax Refund
Daiso Korea (다이소) is the shop every Seoul itinerary mentions and almost no guide explains properly. Here is the short version: nothing inside costs more than ₩5,000, the best-selling item among foreign shoppers is a ₩1,000 sheet mask, and the 12-floor Myeongdong store rewards anyone who knows which three floors to visit.
This guide gives you the six price tiers, what foreigners actually buy according to Daiso's own numbers, a buy-or-skip table, the Myeongdong floor map, and how the tax refund works at Daiso, branch by branch.
daiso on a red panel, and 다이소 in red underneath. That second word is the one to type into Naver Map. Photo by Saksham Vikram on Pexels, cropped for Daiso sign clarity.Last updated: 9 October 2026. Prices as listed on 다이소몰 (daisomall.co.kr).
Korean Italy-towel scrub mitts — the Daiso bath-aisle classic, in a multipackAffiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, EpicKor earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Daiso Korea Quick Guide
| Question | Answer (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| What does it cost? | Six prices only: ₩500, ₩1,000, ₩1,500, ₩2,000, ₩3,000, ₩5,000. Nothing above ₩5,000. |
| How many stores? | About 1,600 nationwide, run by 아성다이소 (Asung Daiso), a wholly Korean company since December 2023 |
| No. 1 buy among foreigners | VT PDRN glow sheet mask (VT PDRN 광채 시트 마스크), ₩1,000 |
| Biggest store for tourists | 다이소 명동역점, 12 floors, between exits 1 and 2 of Myeongdong Station (Line 4) |
| Hours | Korea Tourism Organization lists 10:00–22:00 for Myeongdong Station; closed on Seollal and Chuseok days. Other branches vary. |
| Tax refund | From ₩15,000 on one receipt at a registered branch. Myeongdong Station does it at the till with your physical passport. |
| Find stock before you go | 다이소몰 app → 매장 상품 찾기 (find in store) shows branch stock and aisle number |
| One thing it will not solve | A Korean plug adapter — Daiso's "110V 여행용 어댑터" is for Koreans going abroad |
Six Prices, And No Others
Daiso Korea is a 균일가 (gyunilga, "uniform price") retailer. Every item sits on one of six prices. There is no ₩4,000 shelf and no ₩7,000 shelf.
| Price | Roughly (USD) | What sits here |
|---|---|---|
| ₩500 | ~$0.37 | Single hair ties, small clips, sponges, basic stationery |
| ₩1,000 | ~$0.74 | Sheet masks, chopstick sets, cotton pads, flat pouches, most stationery |
| ₩1,500 | ~$1.10 | Snacks, better pouches, kitchen tools |
| ₩2,000 | ~$1.47 | Travel bottle sets, socks, storage baskets, pouch sets |
| ₩3,000 | ~$2.21 | Skincare minis, larger organizers, slippers, small tumblers |
| ₩5,000 | ~$3.68 | The ceiling: full-size creams and ampoules, and since 2026 small beauty gadgets |
Dollar figures use about ₩1,360 to the dollar (the 29 September 2026 close); the won has swung between roughly ₩1,330 and ₩1,560 over the past year.
Daiso started in 1997 as a ₩1,000 shop and first sold on four tiers, ₩500 to ₩2,000. ₩3,000 arrived in 2004 and ₩5,000 in 2006, and the ceiling has not moved in twenty years. Daiso said in April 2026 that ₩1,000 items still bring in more than half of its sales. Instead of raising the cap, Daiso is pushing new categories under it: in summer 2026 it added a rechargeable shaver, a heated eyelash curler and a mini hair straightener, all at ₩5,000.
For a visitor this changes how you shop. You never need to price-compare inside the store. The only question is whether the thing is worth carrying home.
What Foreigners Actually Buy At Daiso Korea
Daiso gave Korean reporters its own ranking in April 2026, and it is the most useful shopping list in this guide.
- Beauty, top three: the VT PDRN glow sheet mask, then two Vaseline sheet masks (바세린 마스크팩, 집중보습 then 수분충전). All three are ₩1,000.
- Food, top three: 삼립 미니 꿀약과 (Samlip mini honey yakgwa, a honey-soaked traditional cookie), honey-butter almonds, and Hershey's chocolate-chip mochi cookies.
VT Cosmetics PDRN Daily Hydrating Mask, 30 sheets — the brand behind Daiso's best-selling sheet mask. The Daiso mask is a single sheet. This is a different product from the same PDRN range, a 30-sheet daily box, for when the stack you brought home runs out. As an Amazon Associate, EpicKor earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
See the VT masks on AmazonBy Daiso's figures, spending on foreign-issued cards rose 130% in 2023, 50% in 2024 and 60% in 2025, then 70% year on year in January–March 2026. The company did not say whether that is chain-wide or one store's number; the same report singles out Myeongdong as the branch with one of the highest shares of foreign shoppers. The chain's 2025 revenue was ₩4.54 trillion (up 14.3%), which put it ahead of Lotte Mart's domestic sales for the first time.
The sheet masks lead because of a change most English guides have missed. Since 2024 Korea's biggest cosmetics groups have built lines for the ₩1,000–5,000 shelf. 아모레퍼시픽 (Amorepacific) launched 미모 바이 마몽드 (Mimo by Mamonde) at Daiso in September 2024, and it sold a million units in four months. LG생활건강 (LG H&H) had already arrived in July 2024 with a Daiso-only 케어존 (CareZone) line, then added CNP 바이 오디-티디 (CNP bye od-td). VT's 리들샷 (Reedle Shot) arrived in October 2023 at ₩3,000 for six 2 ml sticks, against roughly ₩30,000 for the full 50 ml bottle, and set off a run of sell-outs. In the 2025 다이소몰 리포트, which covers Daiso's online store, the best-selling new product of the year was the VT PDRN sheet mask.
What To Buy And What To Skip
The rule: buy it if you will use it on this trip or within a month of getting home. Everything else is clutter, however cheap.
| Buy | Usual price | Skip | Why skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet masks (VT, Vaseline) | ₩1,000 | Actives you cannot read (retinol, acids, high vitamin C) | A trip is a bad time to discover a reaction; no adviser on the floor |
| Travel bottles and pouches | ₩1,000–3,000 | Large storage boxes and baskets | They eat the suitcase space your gifts need |
| Italy-towel scrub mitts (이태리 타월) | ₩1,000 for two | Glassware and ceramics | Heavy and breakable; 6F at Myeongdong is tempting, resist |
| Chopsticks, kimbap mats, small tongs | ₩1,000–2,000 | Cookware you will use once | Small helpers are good; durable pots are better bought at home |
| Stationery, stickers, gift bags | ₩500–2,000 | Character goods you "might" give someone | Licensed sets restock unpredictably and rarely get used |
| Snacks from the foreigner top three | ₩1,000–1,500 | Meat or fresh food for home | Most countries restrict meat products at customs |
| Basic skincare (Mimo, Reedle Shot sticks) | ₩3,000–5,000 | Electronics with specs you cannot check | Korea is 220V and instructions are in Korean |
The honest counterpoint: Daiso is not the best stop for everything. For snacks, a convenience store has the wider shelf (see EpicKor's Korean convenience store picks). For skincare beyond the basics, Olive Young carries the full sizes and staff who can answer a question (Olive Young guide). For the two Korean products that sell best abroad, EpicKor covers the snail mucin essence and the heartleaf calming toner, including who should skip them.
Prices As Of October 2026: The Items Worth Knowing
These are the listed prices on 다이소몰 (daisomall.co.kr), Daiso's own online store, checked on 29 September 2026; the VT mask was rechecked on 9 October. Store prices match; stock does not.
| Item (Korean listing name) | Price | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| VT PDRN glow sheet mask, 25 g (VT PDRN 광채 시트 마스크) | ₩1,000 | No. 1 beauty buy among foreigners; 8,795 reviews at 4.9 stars on 9 October |
| Vaseline sheet masks (바세린 마스크팩 수분충전 · 집중보습) | ₩1,000 | Nos. 2 and 3; both showed 품절 (sold out) online on 29 September |
| VT PDRN glow cream, 50 ml (VT PDRN 광채 크림) | ₩5,000 | A full-size cream at the ceiling |
| Mimo by Mamonde hydrating ampoule, 50 ml (미모 바이 마몽드 로지-히알론 수분 앰플) | ₩5,000 | Amorepacific's Daiso-only line |
| Travel bottle set, 100 ml × 3 (여행 용기 세트) | ₩2,000 | Lockable pumps for shampoo and lotion |
| 11-piece travel bottle kit (여행용 올인원 공병 11종 세트) | ₩3,000 | Pump, spray, jars, funnel and spatula in one pouch |
| Travel pouch set, 3 sizes (여행용 직사각 파우치 3종 세트) | ₩2,000 | Receipts, cables and cards in separate zips |
| Italy-towel scrub mitts, 2-pack (고급 목욕 이태리 타월) | ₩1,000 | The bathhouse mitt every Korean home owns; bath aisle (8F at Myeongdong), not beauty |
The 품절 marks refer to online delivery stock, not your branch, but they tell you what Koreans are clearing too. Before crossing the city for one product, open the 다이소몰 app, tap 매장 상품 찾기, pick a branch, and it shows the stock count and the aisle zone. The count lags real sales, so if it says one or two left, assume zero.
Which Floor: The 12-Storey Myeongdong Store
Most Daiso branches are one or two floors. 다이소 명동역점 (Myeongdong Station branch) is twelve. It opened in 2017 on eight floors, shrank during the pandemic, closed in 2022 and reopened across the whole 12-storey building in March 2023, at 퇴계로 134-1, 중구, between exits 1 and 2 of Myeongdong Station on Line 4. Go straight to the floor you need.
| Floor | Korean | What is there |
|---|---|---|
| 1F | 계산대 · 시즌상품 | Checkout, seasonal goods |
| 2F | 미용 · 패션 · 액세서리 | Beauty, fashion, accessories: the sheet masks |
| 3F | 문구 · 디지털 · 포장 | Stationery, cables, gift wrap |
| 4F | 캐릭터 · 유아동 · 파티 | Character goods, kids, party |
| 5F | 식품 · 일회용품 | Food and snacks, disposables |
| 6F | 도자기 · 유리식기 | Ceramics, glassware |
| 7F | 주방식기 · 조리도구 | Kitchen tools, chopsticks, tableware |
| 8F | 욕실 · 청소 · 세탁 | Bathroom, cleaning, laundry, scrub mitts |
| 9F | 인테리어 · 수납 | Interiors, storage |
| 10F | 원예 · 조화 · 반려동물 | Gardening, artificial flowers, pets |
| 11F | 공구 · 차량 · 수예 | Tools, car, craft |
| 12F | 운동 · 캠핑 · 여행 | Sports, camping, travel gear |
For most visitors that is three stops: 2F for beauty, 5F for snacks, 12F for travel gear, then 1F to pay.
On hours, the Korea Tourism Organization listing gives 10:00–22:00 daily, closed on the Seollal and Chuseok holidays themselves, while 나무위키 still shows 09:00–21:00. Check Naver Map on the day. Large tourist branches are most crowded after dinner and at weekends. If you are staying west of the centre, 다이소 홍대2호점 (양화로 182, near Hongik University Station) is listed by the Korea Tourism Organization as a Tax Refund Shop open 10:00–22:00.
Daiso Tax Refund: How It Actually Works
Older versions of this guide called a Daiso refund a long shot. That was too pessimistic, and the Korea Tourism Organization's own listings show why.
- The national rule: a tourist refund needs ₩15,000 on one receipt at one registered store. With a ₩5,000 ceiling, that means at least three items in one basket. Instant refunds at the till cover purchases under ₩1,000,000 each and ₩5,000,000 per trip (the caps doubled on 1 January 2024).
- Many Daiso branches are registered. KTO lists Myeongdong Station, the Sinchon Myeongmul-geori (신촌명물거리) branch, Hongdae No. 2 and Gyeongbokgung Station among the many Daiso branches registered as Tax Refund Shops. Myeongdong Station and Sinchon offer the instant refund: the cashier scans your physical passport and takes the refund off the total before you pay.
- Not every branch is. Small neighbourhood stores and shop-in-shop counters inside marts often are not. Look for the Tax Free sign at the till, or ask 택스 리펀 돼요? (taekseu ripeon dwaeyo?) before paying.
- Ten receipts do not add up. ₩9,000 here and ₩8,000 there refunds nothing. One ₩16,000 basket does.
The refund is about the tax in the price, so on a ₩20,000 basket expect roughly ₩1,000–1,600 back after the operator's fee, not a fortune. Worth taking at a branch that offers it, not worth crossing town for. EpicKor's Korea tax refund guide covers the airport kiosk and the rules for bigger purchases.
TESSAN Type F plug adapter, 2-pack — the one travel fix Daiso will not sell you. Korea runs 220V on round two-pin Type F sockets. The "110V 여행용 어댑터" on Daiso's shelf is built the other way round, for Koreans plugging in abroad, so bring your own and charge on arrival night. As an Amazon Associate, EpicKor earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
See the Korea adapter on AmazonIs Daiso Korea The Same As Daiso Japan?
Not any more, and the answer has a date on it.
The first store opened in 천호동, Seoul, in May 1997 under a different name. In 2001 Japan's 다이소산교 (Daiso Sangyo) invested, and the Korean company took the Daiso name. On 12 December 2023 the Korean parent 아성HMP bought back Daiso Sangyo's entire 34.21% stake for about ₩500 billion. Asung Daiso has been wholly Korean-owned since.
The two chains share a name and a format, nothing else. Product mix, Korean beauty lines, packaging and the six-tier price ladder are Korean. Japan's Daiso works on a different price structure, so do not assume a Japanese haul list applies.
Before You Pay: A Daiso Korea Checklist
- Will I use this on this trip, or within a month at home?
- Is it flat, light and unbreakable?
- Can I read what it is and what is in it?
- Is my basket at ₩15,000 or more on one receipt, if this branch refunds?
- Is my physical passport with me, not a photo of it?
- Do I have a pouch for the receipt?
Daiso is easiest at the end of a shopping day only if you arrive with a short list. Arrive without one and the 9F storage aisle wins. For a route that puts Olive Young, Daiso and Musinsa in a sensible order, use EpicKor's Korea tourist shopping route. For returns, defective items and packing fragile buys, our Daiso Korea shopping guide covers the after-purchase side, and the Korean grocery store tourism guide covers the snack haul Daiso cannot.
FAQ
Q: How much do things cost at Daiso Korea?
There are six prices and no others: ₩500, ₩1,000, ₩1,500, ₩2,000, ₩3,000 and ₩5,000. Nothing costs more than ₩5,000, a ceiling unchanged since 2006.
Q: What is the most popular thing foreigners buy at Daiso Korea?
The VT PDRN glow sheet mask at ₩1,000, according to Daiso's April 2026 ranking, followed by two Vaseline sheet masks. In food, Samlip mini honey yakgwa leads.
Q: Can I get a tax refund at Daiso Korea?
Yes, at registered branches, from ₩15,000 on one receipt. Myeongdong Station and the Sinchon Myeongmul-geori branch offer the instant refund at the till with your physical passport. Small branches and in-mart counters often do not, so ask first.
Q: Which Daiso is best in Seoul for tourists?
The 12-floor Myeongdong Station branch, between exits 1 and 2 of Myeongdong Station (Line 4). Use 2F for beauty, 5F for snacks and 12F for travel gear.
Q: Is Daiso Korea Japanese?
No. Japan's Daiso Sangyo held 34.21% from 2001, but Korea's 아성HMP bought the whole stake back in December 2023. Asung Daiso is now wholly Korean-owned.
Q: Does Daiso Korea sell plug adapters for visitors?
Not the kind you need. Its "110V 여행용 어댑터" is for Koreans travelling to 110V countries. Korea uses 220V Type F sockets, so bring an adapter from home.
The Bottom Line
Daiso Korea takes the price question away and leaves you with the real one: will you carry this home and still want it there? Go to 2F for sheet masks, 5F for the snacks foreigners actually buy, 12F for pouches and travel bottles, keep the basket on one receipt over ₩15,000, and bring your passport. Leave the baskets and the glassware on the shelf.
Last updated: 9 October 2026. Sources: VT PDRN 광채 시트 마스크 — 다이소몰 (₩1,000, 8,795 reviews, checked 2026-10-09) · 외국인 구매 상위 상품·외국인 카드 결제액 — 한국경제, 2026-04 · Daiso overtakes Lotte Mart in sales — Korea JoongAng Daily, 2026-05 · 2025년 매출·1000원 상품 매출 비중 50% 이상·전국 1,600여개 매장 — 머니투데이, 2026-04-14 · 전국 약 1,600개 매장·5,000원 이하 균일가 — 머니투데이방송, 2026-10-02 · 5,000원 소형가전(면도기·속눈썹 고데기·미니 고데기) — 세계일보, 2026-08 · 균일가 6종 가격 상한 변천 — 헤럴드경제 · VT 리들샷 다이소 3,000원(2ml×6) — SBS Biz, 2024-07 · 다이소 명동역점 12층 재오픈 — 뉴시스, 2023-03-16 · 미모 바이 마몽드 다이소 라인업 — 뉴시스, 2025-09-30 · LG H&H CareZone and CNP Daiso lines — The Korea Times, 2024-12-02 · 2025 다이소몰 리포트 · 아성다이소 일본 지분 전량 매입 — 전자신문, 2023-12-12 · 다이소 명동역점 층별 안내 — 나무위키 · Daiso Myeong-dong Station Branch (Tax Refund Shop, immediate refund, 10:00–22:00) — Korea Tourism Organization listing · Daiso Shinchon Myungmool Street Branch (Tax Refund Shop) — Korea Tourism Organization listing · DAISO Gyeongbokgung Station Branch (Tax Refund Shop) — Korea Tourism Organization listing · DAISO Hongdae Branch No. 2 (Tax Refund Shop) — Korea Tourism Organization · Immediate tax refund ceiling doubled from 2024 — The Korea Times, 2023-11 · 110V 여행용 어댑터 플러그 — 다이소몰
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