Week 5 – Starfield Mall

This week I went to the Starfield Library. This library is located at the center of COEX Mall which is based in Gangnam, near the Bongeunsa Temple. In order to arrive, you can take bus or subway to access such as the Line 2 Samseong Station or Line 9 Samseong Jungang Station. A short walk away is the Seonjeongneung Royal Tomb. So whether you decide to visit the Starfield Library, you can either continue shopping or visit one of the many beautiful historical monuments that exist near the mall. So Starfield Library is an open space for the public where any people can come to sit, read, and relax themselves surrounded by many books and amazing architecture. There are a large number of books that anyone can come to read such as genres that span across personal hobbies, finance, children, comics, poems, and even more are available to read. But keep in mind that most, if not all, books are written in Korean so it might be a great time to start practicing or learning Korean in order to fully indulge in this experience!

But have no fear, there is a section of the library dedicated to foreign books and famous authors so you won’t be left out! There are two floors and many escalators that you can take to browse all the sections. Many seats for the tired and weary can plop down and grab a book to read. Or if you happen to be lucky, you might be able to attend some events that occur at the Starfield library, such as author signings, book club talks, readings, lectures, and even more things to do.

Starfield is located in COEX Mall and this is one of the largest underground shopping malls in Asia. This mall has quite literally everything and you could spend more than a day here trying to explore. But that means you will need to prepare your wallet because things are not cheap here! As a regular mall is, you will find restaurants, clothing, shoes, designer and luxury brands. You will find both international and domestic brands here. There are many cafes, movie theaters, museums, aquarium, event courts, towers, and other activities that can be done at the mall. This mall is one of the best to visit if you want to go shopping for higher-end brands. There are more trendy fashion available. There are also arcades, a Kimchi museum and other ways to pass the time.

But if you’re looking for more affordable shopping locations or things to do nearby, I would suggest the Gangnam underground market. This is where there are more affordable options. Clothing is more affordable, as well as the food. However, I’ve been told by several Koreans that you will need to flex your bargaining skills because this is where you can negotiate prices for clothing. Bargaining is a popular occurrence in such markets in South Korea and it is a practice that you will need to get used to!