Dongdaemun /동대문

Fill up and wear comfy shoes – a day in Dongdaemun is 24+ hours. Start with a gander around Zaha Hadid’s archi edifice, the DDP /동대문디자인플라자 / ddp.or.kr / Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Stn Exit #1. The day n’ night market here is huge, but not-to-be-missed is Doota /두타쇼핑몰/ 10.30am-5am TueSat, 10.30am-11pm Sun, 7pm-5am Mon. Zip into Doota’s main entrance, start in the basement and work up for funky, youthful club-fash. You need to dig about in the trash, but you’ll be rewarded handsomely. Levels B/1 and 2/F are trendy gal-fest; 1/F hosts Seoul Fashion Week starlets; 3/F has shoes and bags, which can be made to order; 4/F is for guys; 5/F is a riot of accessories, trash-flash, Nail Box salon and Olive Young, Korea’s answer to Sephora; and on 6/F are mum n’ tots’ wear. In the mood for a staggering array of fabric? Exit Doota the way you came in, whip left and keep going. Cross the bridge over the Cheonggyecheon (see Activities), turn left and you’ll espy the five-storey Dongdaemun Shopping Complex (see Standout Stores). Finally, kick back with a tipple and a view at the JW Marriott lounge / jwmarriottddm.com / around the corner. You deserve it!