Went to E-Mart this evening. I was on the lookout for several items:
•floor wipes for my studio
•paper towels (for home and office)
•a standing paper-towel holder (like this)
•a second utensil-storage container
•laundry pods (or powder, if no pods were available)
•a mattress cover
•a proper ironing board
•psyllium fiber
•art supplies
I got the floor wipes, paper towels, utensil storage, ironing board, and some markers, but failed to find the paper-towel holder or a proper but-pen (a sponge-tipped calligraphic brush pen). The ironing board was a pleasant surprise: before, E-Mart hadn't stocked any regular, normal-looking boards; instead, they'd had some sort of stubby-looking contraption that sold for almost $80. No way in hell was I going for that. Today, however, next to those stubby, expensive ironing boards, E-Mart had some standard boards out, and they cost less than $30. I gladly tossed one into my shopping cart.
I did find mattress covers, but a single cover (100cm x 150cm) cost W38,000, which was outrageous. I don't know whether Daiso sells bed linens, but I can't see myself paying more than $10 for a single fitted sheet (see this for some perspective). The same was true for the fiber: I went to the health-food section of the store, knowing full well that all the prices for health-related items would be jacked up. I asked whether the ladies there had any fiber tablets; they showed me a very nice-looking, cigar-box-shaped container that would have cost me W37,000 had I bought it. Fuck, no, ladies! They were very nice, though. They asked we what country I was from; I told them I was American. They said they'd thought I was Korean. I explained that my mother had been Korean, and they obligingly nodded and said, "Ahhh..." I wish I could always part on good terms like that, after not buying anything from a Korean seller. Some sellers give you the stink-eye if you walk away from them.
The laundry pods were pretty expensive. I think I regret buying them. W24,900 for a package of 32 (about 12-16 weeks' washing for me, given how often I use my washing machine throughout the week) strikes me as rather steep. Walmart sells a 72-pack of Tide pods for $33. I bought the pods, though, because the powdered detergent doesn't seem to remove enough of the funk that builds up in a well-worn shirt (and continues to build up when the shirt sits in a laundry pile for a couple days). That's one reason why I miss clothes dryers: they cook odor-causing bacteria to death. I'm hoping these pods can provide a more intense cleaning, thus compensating for the lack of a dryer.
I'm going to check the local market for the paper-towel holder and the mattress cover. I'm hoping I can get a more reasonable deal there than I can at E-Mart. If I become a Costco member, I'll have to see whether Korean Costcos sell psyllium fiber for semi-reasonable prices. Back in Virginia, Target was my supplier: I could buy a 160-tablet bottle of psyllium for only $4.40. Compare that with Walgreens, whether a 320-tablet bottle could set you back about $16-$18. It's going to be a sad day when I run out of my current fiber supply. That shit keeps me regular.
Meanwhile, I'd say today's shopping foray was a decent hunt.
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Hehehehe. You said, "Butt Pen!" Hehehehe.
ReplyDeleteMy local Homeplus actually had mattress covers on sale last week for 9,900 won, so you might want to check them out. I was just happy they had a deal on bramble (blackberry) jelly (re-branded with a sticker as jam--which it is not). I do find it odd that it is being sold in 1 lb. jars (labeled 454 grams). I would think that they would now sell it in 500, 100, or 50 gram increments instead of using the old Imperial system. If you do need jelly, Costco has a good deal on Welch's grape. Three two-pound jars for 11,000 won. At least the Costco membership here is a bargain at 35,000 won. Also, dryers are now being sold in more and more places in South Korea, just get ready to pay a steep price if you really want one, but you might find one at a second-hand shop or maybe ask the proprietor of the shop to be on the lookout for one for you.
ReplyDeleteGreat info. Thanks, John. I think there's a Home Plus in Gyeongsan City, next door to Hayang. If not, there's certainly one (or more) in Daegu.
ReplyDeleteKevin, how hard is it to get Swiss citizenship? $2,800 monthly income for all adults is very tempting.
ReplyDeleteHomeplus is pretty awesome. They are run by Tesco now, so they have a lot of imported (UK) stuff. I've found Captain Scott's Strong Blend Tea to be perfect for recreating that afternoon-milk-tea-in-London experience. They have the best cereals overall, too (although my most favoritest cereal in Korea is Dorset muesli, which they sell at E-mart... but only during the summer for some reason).
ReplyDeleteCharles, you might want to check out Costco. They are now stocking this magically delicious cereal in South Korea.
ReplyDelete