DONGSI PHARMACY
동시약국 Dongsi Pharmacy In front of Gwangjang Market · Jongno 5-ga

VISITOR FAQ

What to buy at a Korean pharmacy: a shopping FAQ for visitors

Before a trip, many visitors search for “Korean pharmacy must-buys” and “Korea travel essentials”. This page answers those questions plainly: what people usually look for, how to choose, what to check before taking things home, and what a pharmacy can and cannot recommend. It is general information from Dongsi Pharmacy, a neighborhood pharmacy in Jongno 5-ga, Seoul.

Last updated Oct 6, 2026

Quick answers

  • There is no official must-buy list. Visitors often look for Korean pharmacy skincare, health supplements and travel items such as plasters, masks and sunscreen.
  • Medicines are chosen with the pharmacist for your symptoms, so this page does not recommend specific medicines. Korean OTC medicines lists names and active ingredients.
  • Bring your regular medicines from home. Small items such as plasters, lip balm and hand cream are easy to buy here.
  • Before taking medicines or supplements home, check your country's rules. Limits on amounts are common, and in many countries medicines are for personal use only.
  • Tax-free shops refund tax on eligible purchases of ₩15,000 or more on one receipt. Bring your passport.

What visitors usually look for

Korean pharmacies sell much more than medicines. Visitors often look for:

  • Korean pharmacy skincare: moisturizers and soothing creams, sunscreens, sheet masks, lip care, and serums with ingredients such as panthenol, centella or PDRN. See the skincare we carry.
  • Health supplements. In Korea, products recognized as health functional foods show the mark 건강기능식품 on the package.
  • Everyday and first-aid items: plasters, blister plasters, bandages, disinfectant, masks and hand cream.
  • Medicines for the trip, for example for a cold, an upset stomach or aches. The pharmacist chooses these with you.

There is no official must-buy list. Lists on social media change quickly, and a product that suits someone else may not suit your skin. Choose by what you need, and ask if you are unsure.

10 Korean pharmacy skincare products visitors search for

We do not track social-media rankings or publish best-seller lists. Instead, we looked at what visitors actually search for: Google search suggestions in Japanese, Chinese and English, and the searches that brought people to this site (checked in October 2026). Words that come up often include PDRN, Rejuran, lip care, Dr.Reju-All, P.CALM and THOME CPR.

These 10 products from our shelves match those searches. They are in no particular order, and the list is not a recommendation for your skin: check the ingredients and ask in store.

Product image of P.CALM Active PDRN 50000 Rejuvenating Cream
Image source: P.CALM official website (pcalm.co.kr)

P.CALM Active PDRN 50000 Rejuvenating Cream

피캄 액티브 PDRN 50000 리쥬비네이팅 크림

Type
Cream
Category in Korea
Functional cosmetic
Labeled ingredients (examples)
PDRN※ (moisturizing ingredient)

Product details

All Korean skincare we carry

Gift ideas from a Korean pharmacy: 10 small things (no medicines)

Medicines do not make good gifts: the right medicine depends on the person. In many countries, medicines brought back from a trip are for your own use only, and in some, including Japan and Taiwan, the same applies to cosmetics bought abroad. Check your own country's rules before buying for someone else.

If gifts are allowed where you live, these are light and easy to pack:

  1. Sheet masks, such as the REJURAN Recover Soothing Mask.
  2. Lip care, such as the Dr.Reju-All Advanced PDRN Rejuvenating Lip Serum.
  3. Hand cream: small tubes are easy to pack.
  4. Sunscreen in a travel size.
  5. A cream with PDRN, a Korean skincare ingredient many visitors search for. See our PDRN skincare.
  6. A ceramide barrier cream, such as the Dr.Reju-All Advanced LC Ceramid Barrier Cream.
  7. A vitamin C cream, such as the Dr.VITA Premium Vita C Cream.
  8. A serum, such as the THOME CPR Serum.
  9. A peeling gel, such as the Dr.deep Mineral Free-Peeling Glow Shot 1500.
  10. Daily supplement sachets, such as RE4DAY All-in-One Woman Plus. Check that a supplement suits the person and meets the food rules of their country.

Tax refunds apply to gifts too: eligible purchases of ₩15,000 or more on one receipt, with your passport.

How to choose Korean skincare

Cosmetics sold in Korea list their ingredients on the package (전성분, full ingredients). If certain ingredients irritate your skin, photograph the list and check it with a translation app.

Some products are registered as functional cosmetics (기능성화장품). Their claim, such as brightening, wrinkle care or UV protection, has been reviewed by or reported to Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

If your skin is sensitive, try a little on your inner arm first, or start with a small size.

Not sure where to start? Our free skin check takes about three minutes on your phone. It is a beauty check based on photos, not a medical diagnosis, and you can show the result at our store.

Some Korean skincare brands are sold mainly through pharmacies and clinics, while beauty stores such as Olive Young carry a wider range of mass-market brands.

Medicines: ask the pharmacist instead of using a list

In Korea, over-the-counter medicines are sold after the pharmacist has asked about your symptoms. The right product depends on your symptoms, age, other medicines and health conditions, so we do not recommend specific medicines online.

Many Korean medicines contain the same active ingredients as medicines in other countries, under different brand names. A photo of the medicine you use at home helps the pharmacist find a suitable option.

Korean OTC medicines: reference information lists names, active ingredients and amounts from Korea's official drug database.

Keep the Korean box and leaflet until you have finished the medicine.

Travel health kit: bring it or buy it here?

Bring from home:

  • Medicines you take regularly, enough for the whole trip, in their original packaging.
  • A prescription or a doctor's note in English that lists the generic names.
  • Anything you may need at night or on a Sunday, such as allergy medicine. Fewer pharmacies open late and on Sundays.

Easy to buy in Korea:

  • Plasters, blister plasters, bandages and disinfectant for long walking days.
  • Masks, sunscreen, lip balm and hand cream.
  • Medicines for a cold, an upset stomach, motion sickness or aches, after a short talk with the pharmacist.
  • At night, 24-hour convenience stores sell 13 designated household medicines, such as some pain relievers and cold medicines.

How to use a Korean pharmacy explains prescriptions, night and Sunday pharmacies and how to describe your symptoms.

Taking purchases home

Each country sets its own rules for medicines, supplements and cosmetics that travelers bring in. Limits on amounts are common, and in many countries medicines are allowed for personal use only: not as gifts and not for resale.

  • Keep products in their original packaging, with the Korean box and leaflet.
  • Check your country's customs or medicines authority before buying large amounts.
  • Some supplement ingredients count as medicines in other countries. If you are unsure, check before you buy.
  • Liquids, gels and creams in your cabin bag must follow the airline's and airport's liquids rules; pack larger sizes in checked baggage.

Prices and tax refunds

Prices for over-the-counter products are set by each pharmacy, so they can differ from shop to shop. We do not list prices online: ask at the counter.

Many pharmacies in tourist areas are registered tax-free shops. You need your actual passport (not a copy or a photo) and a purchase of at least ₩15,000 on one receipt. At shops that offer an immediate refund, purchases under ₩1,000,000 are refunded at the counter, up to ₩5,000,000 in total during your stay; above that, you claim the refund at the airport. Some items are not eligible.

Shopping at Dongsi Pharmacy

Dongsi Pharmacy is on the Jongno 5-ga pharmacy street, in front of Gwangjang Market and near Jongno 5-ga Station on Subway Line 1.

  • Hours: Mon–Sat 09:00–22:00 · Sundays (1st and 3rd of the month) 09:00–22:00
  • Tax refund at the counter
  • Languages: Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese; a Japanese interpreter is on site
  • A free skin check on your phone, with help in store
  • Phone: +82-2-2268-4055

Opening hours and directions · Korean skincare we carry

Frequently asked questions

What should I buy at a Korean pharmacy?

It depends on what you need. Visitors often look for Korean pharmacy skincare (moisturizers, soothing creams, sunscreen, sheet masks, lip care), health supplements and travel items such as plasters and masks. Medicines are chosen with the pharmacist for your symptoms, so there is no one list that suits everyone.

What are Korea travel essentials I can get at a pharmacy?

Plasters and blister plasters for long walking days, sunscreen, lip balm, masks and hand cream are easy to find. For a cold, an upset stomach, motion sickness or aches, tell the pharmacist your symptoms and they will suggest an over-the-counter option.

Is there a Korean pharmacy must-buy list?

Not an official one. Lists online change quickly, and what works for one person may not suit you. Check the ingredients, start with a small size if your skin is sensitive, and ask the staff.

What Korean pharmacy products are popular on social media?

We don't track social-media rankings. In searches by visitors, PDRN skincare, REJURAN masks, lip serums and brands such as Dr.Reju-All, P.CALM and THOME come up often. The 10 products listed above match those searches; they are not a ranking.

What are good gifts from a Korean pharmacy?

Small, light items such as sheet masks, lip care, hand cream and travel-size sunscreen, if your country allows gifts of cosmetics. Medicines are not suitable as gifts, and in some countries, including Japan and Taiwan, medicines and cosmetics brought back are for your own use only.

Is Korean pharmacy skincare different from what Olive Young sells?

There is some overlap. Some Korean skincare brands are sold mainly through pharmacies and clinics, while beauty stores carry a wider range of mass-market brands. Olive Young does not sell medicines.

Can I buy Korean cold medicine or painkillers without a prescription?

Yes, many are sold over the counter after the pharmacist has asked a few questions. Medicines that are prescription-only in Korea need a prescription from a doctor in Korea.

Can I take Korean medicines and cosmetics home?

Usually in personal-use amounts, but each country sets its own limits. Keep the original packaging and check your country's customs or medicines authority. Medicines you bring home are for your own use only.

Can I get a tax refund on skincare and supplements?

Yes, at tax-free shops, for eligible purchases of ₩15,000 or more on one receipt. Bring your actual passport. Dongsi Pharmacy gives the refund at the counter.

Are pharmacy prices the same everywhere in Korea?

No. Each pharmacy sets its own prices for over-the-counter products, so prices can differ between shops.

Can a Korean pharmacy ship medicines to my country?

No. Korean law does not allow medicines to be sold by mail order or online, so medicines are bought in person at the counter.

What time does Dongsi Pharmacy close?

At 22:00. We are open 09:00–22:00 Monday to Saturday, and on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.

Sources

This page is general information, not medical advice. Rules, prices and opening hours can change, so check the sources above for the latest information. Last updated Oct 6, 2026