Are you visiting Korea soon and looking for all sorts of cute stationery and misc treasures, but are not sure where to start or want something a step up from Daiso? Not to worry! Korea has a very popular chain of shops that specializes in adorable goodies called ARTBOX that is a go-to place for any cute tidbits you may need!
ArtBox was founded in 1984 and today has become Korea’s leading stationery gift shop chain. Today ArtBox has over 100 locations throughout Korea and has expanded internationally with 30+ stores and growing in places like Russia, Singapore, and even the USA!
ArtBox is known for its quality stationery and fancy products that appeal to those looking for something cute or even the more selective design-savvy shoppers looking for unique finds. It is very popular with students and young adults who are looking for cute things to bring a little cheerfulness to their desk or schoolbag!
The products and price range at Artbox vary, but overall everything is reasonably priced for students and a vast majority of it is Korean-made or original Korean stationery lines which naturally has its own unique appeal. A large amount of the items feature animals, namely cats, bunnies, and bears since those seem to be the most popular sellers!
They do carry a very small smattering of imported goods from Japan, however those are limited to mainly larger or very unique home products like Disney humidifiers or collectible figures~ things are hand picked for cuteness obviously though! The imported home products are dramatically more expensive vs the normal items though!
adorable and inexpensive containers for whatever you can think of!
My favorite area is the “home” section which has lots of cute mugs and plates!
Here is one of my ArtBox kitty cups complete with a kitty silicone cover to keep my hot cocoa warm~ featured in a previous post HERE
Plants in Korea make GREAT gifts, Koreans love them! Artbox has lots of pretty little ones in a range of adorable containers ready for gifting or enjoying on your own windowsill
Keep your hands warm in the winter with CUTENESS!
I love these notebooks styled after vintage Korean schoolbooks!
Sonny Angel figures from Japan seem to be popular collectables with Koreans the last few years, ArtBox always has a few series to pick from!
Cute pens and pencils aplenty!
Cute plush, cute towels, cute fans, cute stickers, and more!
In Korea for Christmas? Artbox has seasonal goodies!
If you are in need of a cute Korean greeting card this is a great place to come for any occasion! Most locations have a nice area dedicated to greeting cards (with seasonal ones brought in for holidays like Christmas, Valentines, Pepero Day etc) as well as a great selection of very cute gifting boxes or gift bags.
Cute Korean Cards!
Jumbo plush friends!
Key stools for your office desk ^^
Since you do not wear shoes indoors in Korea, having cute house slippers is a must!
ArtBox has a HUGE selection of pretty hair ties and clips!
Most locations have an area for must grab beauty/body products like pimple stickers (LOVE THEM), lip balm, lotion, hot packs, cool packs, or cute bandages. Basically things students would want to grab for their backpack!
Recently they have also started selling some lines of makeup like Canmake (from Japan), Peripera (featured HERE!),or even some perfume and nail polish colors in limited amounts.
ArtBox sells the cutest headbands for washing your face! These are the best!
Cute meanie face hat!
Adorable desk lamps in the shapes of animals! Been meaning to buy one of these ^^
Want to sleep soundly and wake up with fresh beautiful skin? ArtBox has tons of cute humidifiers that are the perfect size for small rooms! I love these!
Chair cushions that will instantly sweeten up your bed or couch!
Bags to hold your treasures!
G-Shock…G-Shors…close enough! haha
Put all your new goodies in a cute backpack and head to class ~ cute Korea style!
ArtBox Locations: Korea / Seoul
ArtBox has locations throughout Korea, within Seoul they have almost 30 at every major area alone! If you find a new one worth mentioning that I have not listed, or one relocates to a different area please do let me know! A full location list can be found on the official ArtBox site, however sometimes they are not very up to date! Overall, I personally recommend the Hongdae or Gangnam locations though!
Hongdae ArtBox : 서울특별시 마포구 서교동 364-26
Hours: 11:30 am-11:00 pm
The Hongdae ArtBox location will be just off the main shopping road on your way to “Hongdae Park“.
Please refer to my article featuring Hongdae for more maps on the area if you are new!
Gangnam Location #1 ~ Just past Seoul Metro Line #2 Exit #12
Gangnam Location #2 ~ Just past Seoul Metro Line #2 Exit #11
NOTE: Artbox in Gangnam has recently opened a new multistory location next to WHO.AU, I have to go check the area out personally and take updated photos since I believe they may have closed and/or combined locations due to the opening! I will update the Gangnam ArtBox info with 2014 updates as soon as I can!
For a combo bookstore and ArtBox visit you can check out the ArtBox section located in the large Kyobo bookstore in Gwanghwamun on the 1st floor! They also have a Kyobo X ArtBox in Gangnam, but I like this location more. Sorry, will update this with a store snapshot soon!
If you are visiting Lotte World you can find an ArtBox section at the Kyobo bookstore located in the huge Lotte Mall that is attached to the metro and theme park. Again, lacking a shop photo of this location, will add one when I can though!
Shopping in Myeongdong? You can find an ArtBox location down the road from Myeongdong Metro station, Exit #8!
In addition to ArtBox (which is the most numerous) the parent company has a few other shops in Korea that have slightly different price points and shoppers in mind! POOM is one of the more popular shops currently, which is a more “artistic unisex designer” sort of appeal vs the youthful girly nature of Artbox! I will focus on these in a future post though ^^ currently it seems some ArtBoxes are actually combining with POOM to make it an additional floor or section.
ArtBox International Locations
Lucky for many readers, ArtBox has over 30 international locations spread far and wide! Have you visited an ArtBox in your country? Please share your experiences in the comments or snap a pic of the outside and I can share it here!
♥ View the international shop listing HERE on ArtBox.co.kr♥
Welcome to my blog about Korea! My name is Elle and I am an Illustrator & Gallery painter from California, but currently I am living in Seoul with my Korean Fiancé! read more about me HERE
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