DONGSI PHARMACY · 1905

Korean pharmacy · K-Beauty · Jongno 5-ga, Seoul

Dongsi Pharmacy, a Korean pharmacy at the entrance to Gwangjang Market

Mon–Sat 08:00–22:00 (Sundays: 1st and 3rd only)
Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese spoken
Instant tax refund at the counter (passport needed)
3 minutes on foot from Jongno 5-ga Station, Exit 8

3 minutes on foot from Jongno 5-ga Station, Exit 8. Locals have trusted us since the Dongdaemun Market days, for over 50 years. Today visitors from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and across Asia come for skin consultations and Korean pharmacy skincare, and we answer in your language.

Chat on LINE How to find us Start the skin check

Our storefront at night: a blue front with the white “동시약국” sign, next to the Gwangjang Market entrance.

TAX
FREE

Tax free · Instant refund

VAT refunded on the spot, right at our counter

We are a registered tax-free shop with immediate refund, so the refund comes off at the counter. No airport queue, no paperwork to mail.

Bring your passportThe actual passport, not a copy or a photo.
From ₩15,000 per receiptThe minimum purchase for a refund.
Roughly 6–8% back, by a fixed table₩100,000 → ₩7,000 · ₩300,000 → ₩19,000 · ₩500,000 → ₩35,000 · ₩990,000 → ₩68,000. Not a flat 10%: VAT is already inside the price and the refund agent takes a fee.
Under ₩1,000,000 per purchaseAnd ₩5,000,000 in total during your stay. From ₩1,000,000 up, claim the refund at the airport instead.

Refund amounts follow the refund operator’s official table, which we check at the counter before you pay. Refunds follow Korean tax law and some items are not eligible.

Heritage · 1905

Our name comes from the market itself

Gwangjang Market opened in 1905 as Dongdaemun Market (東大門市場), the first permanent market of modern Korea, beside the great East Gate of Seoul.

"Dongsi" (東市) is the old short form of Dongdaemun Market. Our pharmacy took that name and has served the market's merchants and neighbors for more than half a century.

Regulars still come by for their daily medicines. That local trust is the foundation of everything we do for visitors today.

1905Dongdaemun Market (today’s Gwangjang) opens

1970sDongsi Pharmacy serves the market

TodayK-Beauty pharmacy · 4 languages

Heunginjimun, the East Gate of Seoul, photographed in 1904 — The East Gate (Heunginjimun), 1904. Public domain.

Dongdaemun (Heunginjimun) photographed in the 1900s — Dongdaemun (Heunginjimun) in the 1900s, with the market crowd in front of the gate. Public domain.

Gwangjang Market in Seoul today — Gwangjang Market today.

Jongno 5-ga · Pharmacy Street

You are standing on Korea’s first modern pharmacy street

The blocks around Jongno 5-ga are known as Korea’s first modern pharmacy street. It grew from the late 1950s, when a large pharmacy here began buying directly from manufacturers and selling at wholesale prices, and other large pharmacies followed until the street became the place Koreans came for medicine at a fair price.

Seoul recognised the street as a Seoul Future Heritage site in 2020. Wholesalers, pharmacies and the market have sat side by side here for seventy years, which is why a neighbourhood pharmacy in front of Gwangjang Market can keep an unusually wide range of products on the shelf.

Dongsi Pharmacy is one of the pharmacies on this street, next to the market it is named after.

Dongdaemun and the Jongno street in the 1920s-40s — Dongdaemun on a postcard, 1920s–1940s. Public domain.

K-Beauty

Skin consultation by a pharmacist, then the right products

Tell us about your skin and what you already use. We suggest Korean skincare and supplements that fit, and explain how to use them.

Skin consultation

Acne, sensitivity, pigmentation, dryness. Short, practical advice from a pharmacist.

Pharmacy K-Beauty

Dermocosmetics and skincare that Korean pharmacies are known for.

Inner beauty

Collagen, probiotics, vitamins and other supplements, with clear guidance on what to take.

FREE SKIN CHECK

Check your skin on your phone — free, in about 3 minutes

Answer four quick questions and take five selfies by area. You'll see how each area looks — dryness, shine, redness, tone, pores and fine lines — with care points and picks from our shelves. No sign-up, and your photos are not saved.

Start the skin check

A beauty check based on photos, not a medical diagnosis. Show the result at our store and our pharmacist will go over it with you.

Brands we stock

Dr.Reju-All and other Korean skincare on our shelves

Dr.Reju-All (리쥬올) is a Korean dermo-cosmetic brand distributed through pharmacies rather than general beauty stores. We keep the line in stock so you can see it in person instead of ordering online and waiting.

Dr.Reju-All Cream 30mlThe cream most visitors come in for.
Dr.Reju-All Lip Serum 10mlThe lip line from the same brand.
Dr.Reju-All Mask Pack, 6 sheetsSheet mask set, easy to carry home.
Other Korean skincareMoisturising creams, serums, masks and sunscreens. See the full list by type on our Korean skincare page.

With instant tax refund you get roughly 6–8% back at the counter, so what you actually pay is lower than the shelf price. Passport required, from ₩15,000 per receipt.

What we carry

A full Korean pharmacy, not only beauty

Over-the-counter medicines: cold, digestion, pain relief, patches
Dermocosmetics and K-Beauty skincare
Health supplements and inner beauty
Medical devices: thermometers, masks, first aid
Pet medicines (our animal pharmacy section)

Some items require a pharmacist consultation under Korean law. We will let you know.

Korean pharmacy guides in English

Questions we get every day

Before you come

Where can I buy Dr.Reju-All in Seoul?

Dongsi Pharmacy, in front of Gwangjang Market at Jongno 5-ga Station (Line 1), keeps Dr.Reju-All cream, lip serum and mask pack in stock.

Can I get a tax refund on Korean pharmacy skincare?

Yes. Dongsi Pharmacy is a registered tax-free shop with immediate refund, so the refund is deducted at the counter. The amount follows a fixed table rather than a flat 10% — about ₩7,000 back on a ₩100,000 purchase and ₩35,000 on ₩500,000. Bring your actual passport; the minimum is ₩15,000 per receipt and instant refund applies under ₩1,000,000 per purchase.

Do you speak English?

Yes. We serve customers in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese, and you can message us on LINE before you visit.

Do I need a prescription for pharmacy cosmetics?

No. Dermo-cosmetics are sold without a prescription. Some medicines require a pharmacist consultation, which we do on the spot.

What are your opening hours?

Monday to Saturday, 08:00 to 22:00. On Sundays we open only on the first and third week of each month, at the same hours.

Is there a tax-free pharmacy near Gwangjang Market?

Yes. Dongsi Pharmacy stands right in front of Gwangjang Market at Jongno 5-ga Station (Line 1) and is a registered tax-free shop, so the refund comes off at the counter instead of at the airport.

Where can I buy Korean pharmacy skincare in Seoul?

Korean dermo-cosmetic brands such as Dr.Reju-All are distributed through pharmacies rather than general beauty stores, so you buy them at a pharmacy. Dongsi Pharmacy in front of Gwangjang Market keeps these lines in stock and a pharmacist helps you choose.

Is the pharmacy open on Sunday?

We open on the first and third Sunday of each month, 08:00 to 22:00. From Monday to Saturday we are open every day at the same hours.

Can I buy cold or stomach medicine as a tourist?

Yes. Over-the-counter medicines for colds, indigestion, pain and skin problems are sold without a prescription, and our pharmacist will ask about your symptoms in English, Japanese or Chinese before recommending one.

Visit

Next to the Gwangjang Market entrance, 3 minutes from Jongno 5-ga Station

Address: 202-1 Jongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 종로구 종로 202-1)
How to get here: Subway Line 1, Jongno 5-ga Station, Exit 8: about 170 m, 3 minutes on foot. We face Jongno, right next to the Gwangjang Market entrance.
Hours: Mon–Sat 08:00–22:00 · Sundays (1st and 3rd of the month) 08:00–22:00

Step-by-step directions Open in Google Maps Get directions

Google Maps listing: 동시약국 (Dongsi Pharmacy), Jongno 5-ga. Look for the blue storefront with the white 동시약국 sign. Google Maps does not give walking directions in Korea, so Kakao Map or Naver Map work better on foot.