Music

Buying CDs in Seoul

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Rain’s first album Bad Guy is difficult to find here in Malaysia

Being a Rain enthusiast, i wanted to own every single album he released (okay, the major ones). So prior to my trip to Seoul last November, i purposed in my heart to look for Rain’s first album Bad Guy.

It is possible to buy one of his more recent albums from the music stores here in Malaysia. But i could not find the very first album anywhere!

Here’s a look at our (Liz and Orchid’s) Rain CDs. Yes! We made our collection complete by buying Rainism (5th album) and Bad Guy (1st album) in Seoul.

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Our Rain Albums – clockwise from bottom left:
It’s Raining, Bad Guy, Rainism, Running Away From the Sun,
Rain’s World Special Edition, Rain’s World

We bought Rainism at one of Seoul’s largest and most popular bookstore. It is called Kyobo Book Center or Kyobo Moongo (Korean; 교보문고) and it is located in Kyobo Building at No. 1, Jong-ro 1 Street, Seoul. You can find most of the latest releases in this store and also a wide range of Korean music. We were so excited to see such a wide selection of Korean music at the store. We ended up purchasing JYP’s Back to Stage album here as well. Rainism cost KRW15,500 while Back to Stage cost KRW13,500.

Now this other CD store that i will tell you about is really a gem which we discovered. Firstly, the CDs sold here were the cheapest we found! Yes, even cheaper than the CDs at Kyobo Book Center. This CD corner is located on the top floor of Migliore building in Myeongdong. The ajumma manning the store was really really friendly.

I was very excited to find Rain’s first CD – Bad Guy here. As soon as i saw it, i grabbed it off the shelf and held the CD close to my chest and let out a huge happy sigh. The ajumma noticed this and asked Liz and myself if we were Rain fans. In our limited Korean, we said “네” (yes). She then went behind her cashier counter and popped in Rain’s lastest CD Rainism and played it over the speakers for us. She was also enjoying the music and bobbed her head up and down to the beat.

 

Buying CDs at Migliore building, Myeongdong (Seoul)
At this store, Rainism cost KRW13,500 (the cheapest i’d seen)

We loved this CD shop because of the cheap price, friendly ajumma who provided good customer service plus, you can find older albums here. I saw Rain’s Road for Rain DVD here too. Liz bought Fly to the Sky‘s Recollection album (13,800 won) at this store.

If you know of a place near your area where you can purchase Korean music CDs, do share by adding a comment in this entry.

More stories from our trip to Seoul

 

29 thoughts on “Buying CDs in Seoul

  • black1401hottest

    hey, I just found your blog, and I don’t you will reply me or not. but can I ask? in that store, are they selling japan album too? you know these days a lot of kpop group debut at japan, so I wonder, will it be cheaper if buy it in korea rather than online shopping to my country.

    really thank you if you notice and reply me 🙂

  • Patricia_chuegan

    Hello there, i just read your blog and i was just wondering if there were free posters available when you bought the albums. i would really appreciate your reply. thanks.

    • Anonymous

      I think there were. If I’m not mistaken the ahjumma gave us a Rain poster. I bought the FTTS Recollection album, and in it was a poster too. That was about it 🙂

  • Patricia_chuegan

    Hello there, i just read your blog and i was just wondering if there were free posters available when you bought the albums. i would really appreciate your reply. thanks.

  • @Tacti

    "Top floor" means go right to the top. 4th or 5th floor i think.

    Orchid

  • What do you mean when you say "top floor"? I've been in Korea since August 2009, and have been to Myeongdong several times. However, I have never been inside the Migliore building (department stores = expensive!!).

  • starfir3

    for m’sians- u guys shd check out http://www.mykpopdestiny.com they are pretty reliable n efficient. i bought a few snsd cds from thr. * i would recommend selecting english to view the terms [how to purchase,etc] then open a new web n click chinese even though u dont understand. they update more often thr so u can check out the latest stuff they offer.

  • Vic in Long Beach, CA

    RKQS, there is an excellent one in Daly City. One or two exits before John Daly Blvd, on the N/W side of the 280. Not much parking, but TONS of Korean (and Korean ONLY) stuff. Very nice people work there.
    (I used to work for KOIT. That was on the way home from another one of their station’s transmitters)

  • Anonymous

    Just came back frm trip to Seoul. Myeongdong and the area around Kongkuk Uni Station is great!
    I din get any cds tho.Btw,i’ve just heard the Rainism (Asian special Version. Wow! He’s talented! Can sing in Korean/Jap/Chinese/English somemore.

  • Well thanks for the new tips! In 2007 I only managed to find 2 good CD shop. Maybe I wasn’t looking hard enough. lol. But anyhow this is my bit of info for those going to Korea.

    First CD shop: In Coex Mall. It’s called Evans’ Record.

    Second CD shop: This was by pure chance. There is actually a CD shop at Myeong Dong’s subway Station underground shopping. It’s run by a guy in his 30’s I think. He’s pretty cool because he doesn’t bug me when I’m browsing. Hate it when people bug me when I’m concentrating looking for DBSK CD’s. lol.

  • Anonymous

    i will go to Korea someday to eat and shop and tour ^.^

  • fraulein

    haha, Orchid, you bought two copies of Rain’s World too ; P

  • Korean CDs in Malaysia always cost twice the price of regular CDs by other international artistes… Why???

  • Rachel

    Thanks, RKQ! 🙂

    I’m supposed to be visiting my uncle in Sunnyvale this summer. Hope to stop by the store!

  • Dora the Explorer

    My advice to finding old Korean albums is through the internet. I usually buy older albums through yesasia.com.

  • finding older albums of korean artists in malaysia are totally hard… as you collecting Rain's albums, i'm doing the same thing on TVXQ's albums… since i became their fan starting Sept last year, i have to dig all shops for their older albums (koreans albums)… til today, i managed to get their 3rd album, 'O'… now left Tri-Angle & Rising Sun… but a lot of my friends said Sg. Wang is the best place to search for korean artists' albums… i need to check Sg. Wang out… but it seems Japanese's albums are more easy to find!

  • xepik

    i rmb buying mine in one of the stores near the Myeongdong subway station. or it was somewhere there…
    but of course Migliore is full of jewels 8D

  • Oh!lucky you guys to have a complete collection of Rain’s CD.. I’ve been looking for Rain’s bad guy album in KL too but until now havent found one…

  • theblueseaside

    ahhh..Love ur Rain collection!! I wish I could be there tooo…*sigh* The lady looks nice and you guys look very enthusiastic.lol

  • RKQS12

    I doubt there’s anyone in the bay area of California going to look at this, but there’s a Korean market:

    Hankook Supermarket
    1092 E El Camino Real
    Sunnyvale, CA 94087

    There’s a little nook in the back with Korean music and dramas.

    Smells so good in there and they’re really helpful and nice in the music store. But I got weird looks because a white girl fan girling in public over Korean bands just get those looks. XD

  • alchocoholic

    Speaking of korean cds, does anyone know where to get some in KL? I’m just dying to get my hands on some Loveholic albums!

  • Vic in Long Beach, CA

    Rain??? EWWWWWWWW.
    I got my first KPOP CDs at the Hyundai Department Store, near the KoEX. Very good selection. The price looked obscene, but when you did the forex exchange, it was right in line.

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