Dongdaemun vintage shop: men's winter outerwear & knits, Viva Trade

Why I went back to Viva Trade Eulji Dundaun for winter outerwear

This visit was all about a winter outer and gloves. I'm not someone who shops for clothes often. Still, I'd been to Viva Trade once last summer, and I left with a short-sleeve shirt and a cap I liked. With the weather suddenly getting cold, I had lunch and dropped by again, thinking I'd get an outer and maybe gloves.

Where is Viva Trade Eulji Dundaun Dongdaemun Branch and how do you get there?

Viva Trade Eulji Dundaun Dongdaemun Branch is on the 5th floor of the Dundaun Dongdaemun building, about a 2-minute walk from Exit 11 of Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station. So it's really easy to reach by subway.

What is a 200-pyeong warehouse-style vintage shop like?

According to the sign in the store, it's the biggest warehouse-style vintage shop in Seoul, at 200 pyeong (roughly 660 sq m). The entrance has silver stainless steel walls and a turnstile-style gate, so even though it's a vintage shop it feels clean and stylish. Right as you walk in, colorful polo shirts hang in rows by color.

Warehouse-style means lots of clothes hung rack after rack in a big space, and you pick and carry what you like yourself. About 100 new items come in every day, so you find different clothes every time. It's near Dongmyo, so it's easy to fit into a vintage-hopping route. I heard they've also done pop-up stores at The Hyundai Seoul and Shinsegae Gangnam.

Prices for sweatpants, sweatshirts and USA vintage T-shirts

The racks also had lots of comfy pieces like gray sweatpants. They're jogger style with a drawstring waist and elastic hems, so they looked good for the gym or a quick trip near home.

Sweatshirts hung in rows by brand too. Every piece has a price tag, so it was easy to compare one by one. The sweatshirt in the photo was marked ₩35,000.

On the rack labeled USA T SHIRT, American vintage tees hung in rows by color. The red tee in the photo was ₩19,000.

Men's winter outerwear: choosing a Body Glove jacket and a gray fleece

At Viva Trade I started with the outer I came for. The store has 4 fitting rooms and full-length mirrors, so it's easy to try on several pieces and check right away.

The outer I picked is by Body Glove, an American water sports and lifestyle brand. It's said to be famous for the wetsuits worn for surfing.

I also picked the gray fleece in the photo. A fleece is a warm outer made of soft, fuzzy fabric. It's light and warm, so it's very useful to have one in winter. The brand looked American.

Vintage knits and knit vests to layer under winter outerwear

After the outer, I looked for something to wear underneath. There was a huge variety of knits. The navy knit had two blue stripes across the chest, and the price tag said ₩25,000.

There was also a Mind Bridge navy knit vest, at ₩29,000. A knit vest is great for layering over a shirt or a long-sleeve top.

Fitting room try-on: green knit vs black knit

I picked a few pieces I liked and headed to the fitting room. It has silver walls and a full-length mirror, so you can see the whole look at a glance.

I tried the green knit first, turning at different angles to check the fit in the mirror.

Next I tried the black knit, and in the end I went with black. The green was pretty too, but black goes with everything and doesn't go out of style, so I figured I could wear it for a long time. For someone who doesn't buy clothes often, that kind of long-lasting piece is the best.

More than clothes: character goods, Tamagotchi and vintage cameras

Viva Trade isn't only clothes. The goods corner was quite big too. There were character items like Hello Kitty bowls and cups and Miffy plates, and they sold Tamagotchi as well. A Tamagotchi is a small handheld game where you raise a character on the screen.

Vintage digital cameras were displayed separately too. Kodak, Pentax, Sanyo and Nikon cameras each had a handwritten tag with the model name and price. The Pentax was marked ₩580,000.

There were Fujifilm cameras in silver and pink too. The silver one was ₩380,000. The old digicam look is trendy these days, so it was fun just to browse.

There were also Japanese vintage glass cups with Doraemon and Dorami on them. Behind them, old Coca-Cola bottles were on display, so anyone who loves retro goods could browse for a good while.

What I liked about Viva Trade Eulji Dundaun Dongdaemun Branch

• In a big 200-pyeong store, you can try on and pick vintage clothes from overseas brands yourself.
• I heard you can buy them 20-30% cheaper than the price tag.
• Parking is free for 2 hours with a purchase, so driving there is fine too.
• Besides clothes, there's so much to look at, like character goods, Tamagotchi and vintage cameras, that I lost track of time.

Viva Trade Eulji Dundaun store info: hours, parking and address

• Address: 264 Euljiro, 5th floor, Dundaun Dongdaemun, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: daily 10:30-21:00 (closed on Lunar New Year's Day and Chuseok day)
• Location: about 2 minutes on foot from Exit 11 or 12 of Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station
• Parking: basement levels 4-5 of the building, 2 hours free with a purchase
• Facilities: 4 fitting rooms, full-length mirrors, chairs, shopping baskets