Namdaemun kids' shop: no-stretch Korean-made basic tees, Apple Smile

Today I came to Namdaemun Market all by myself, fully committed, to buy clothes for the kids! The first stop was Burdoeng Kids' Clothing (부르뎅아동복). I pushed through a huge crowd to reach Apple Smile (애플스마일), a kids' clothing shop that was packed with people!

Where Apple Smile is and how to get there

Apple Smile is at unit 12 on the first floor of the Burdoeng Kids' Clothing building, 14 Namdaemunsijang 8-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul. For Namdaemun Market, I recommend public transport over parking.

• Address: Unit 12, Burdoeng Kids' Clothing, 14 Namdaemunsijang 8-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Parking: public transport recommended!

What is Apple Smile, the Burdoeng kids' clothing shop in Namdaemun, like?

Apple Smile is a Korean-made kids' clothing shop in the Burdoeng building whose fabric quality really stood out to me. It sits in the middle of lively, noisy Namdaemun.

You know the Namdaemun kids' clothing buildings, right? Colorful clothes everywhere and a buzzing energy from crowds of moms. Squeezing through piles of colorful clothes like a treasure hunt is the charm of shopping here! Out of all the shops, one had already won me over with its fabric and I'd saved it in my cart: Apple Smile, unit 12 on the first floor of the Burdoeng building.

The designs are clean and basic and the fabric is good, so for my sensitive kids' clothes it will definitely be my number one stop, like a bird to a rice mill. Along with that bustling Namdaemun charm, both mom and kids were totally satisfied, so let me tell you about our sibling tee shopping~

Two hours alone, and 30 minutes just at Apple Smile

Behold, I had two hours of freedom (shopping time)! Out of those two hours, I spent 30 minutes just browsing at Apple Smile, unit 12 of the Burdoeng building.

My husband took care of the two kids, so he and the kids relaxed with drinks at a nearby Starbucks while I wandered Namdaemun Market alone with a light step. With kids, even holding a piece of clothing up to them is chaos, but shopping alone, feeling the fabric and comparing the fit at my own pace, made me so happy! I got two hours of free time and spent 30 minutes at Apple Smile alone! It just caught my eye and I browsed like I was in a trance.

Tee sizes for a 9- and 6-year-old: 150 and 130

At Apple Smile, the staff recommended size 150 for my 9-year-old daughter and size 130 for my 6-year-old son, so I bought sturdy Korean-made basic tees. Even my sensitive-skinned daughter was totally happy.

I picked out plain everyday tees that are comfy to wear. They recommended size 150 for my oldest, the 9-year-old girl, and 130 for my youngest, the 6-year-old boy, so that's what I bought. The fabric is really soft, so even my daughter, who is sensitive to texture, wears it with no scratchiness at all.

Can Apple Smile's Korean-made tees take the washing machine?

Apple Smile's basic tees showed no warping or stretched necks even after several rough machine washes. They're also versatile: scarf, inner layer, or worn on their own.

That's exactly what the Korean word hwitturumatturu (휘뚜루마뚜루, "works for anything") means! Wrap it around the neck and it's a scarf, wear it inside and it's a layer, and on its own it's comfy and cute! What I liked most was the Korean quality that holds up in a rough machine wash. Maybe because it's truly 'MADE IN KOREA', it stays firm with no warping or stretched neck however many times I toss it in. For basic tees, Apple Smile's fabric is the best, I think! 👍

A layered look that shone on a Han River outing

On the evening of the shopping day we went to the Han River without jackets, so I wrapped an Apple Smile tee around my daughter's neck like a scarf and later put it on as an inner layer to keep out the cold. It turned into an unexpectedly smart layered outfit.

After finishing a full loop of Namdaemun's kids' clothing, the whole family went on an outing to the Han River that evening. But oh no, I hadn't realized how big the temperature swing would be and hadn't brought the kids' jackets, and it suddenly got cold once evening came. Wondering what to do, I remembered the tee I'd just bought at Apple Smile, and casually draped it around my daughter's neck like a scarf. It kept the cold out and looked sort of stylish, too!

Then it got even chillier, so I put the tee on her under her clothes, and the layering blended in perfectly as if I'd planned it from the start. A smart outfit was born, tada~

Why Apple Smile is a must-stop for Namdaemun kids' clothing shopping

Apple Smile lacks nothing in fabric, fit or versatility, so I saved it as a must-stop for Namdaemun kids' clothing shopping. After washing at home, I even regretted not buying more.

While I was picking out clothes, I overheard other moms talking~

I only dress my kids in clothes from here~

That's how much moms trust and buy from here, it seems. Fabric, fit, versatility, nothing falls short, so after washing at home I even regretted not buying more. If you're looking for good-fabric, never-boring daily wear in the lively Burdoeng kids' clothing market in Namdaemun, definitely stop by Apple Smile, unit 12! Highly recommended for basics. 👍