Things To Do in Daegu

Because Daegu is the region's transportation hub, it's a shopper's dream. With its textile industry and herbal markets, it's also a great place to browse without spending a single Won.

Fashion & Textiles

For textiles, clothing, and other related items, head over to the DDC Textile Product Complex, 1667, Sangyeok 2-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu (tel. 053/381-3690). DDC, which stands for Daegu Distribution Complex, is a wholesale market, which also does regular retail business. The over 600 stores each specialize in things like fabric, yarn, blankets, clothing, and other textiles, all at great prices. Open daily from 9am to 8pm, the complex is closed on the first and third Saturdays of each month, as well as holidays. Take bus no. 305, 306, 535, 613, or 929 to get here.

For hipper, younger styles the Yasi-golmok, in the Samdeok-dong area downtown, has several streets of boutique shops that sell the latest fashions. The name of the street, yasi, means "cute foxes," referring to those who shop there. Prices are reasonable, but the wares are pretty much limited to mostly women's clothes. Take bus no. 306, 404, or 613.

If money is not an object, you'll enjoy Migliore Daegu, 1667, Sangyeok 2-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu (tel. 053/600-6666). It's a huge department store complex with over 2,000 stores, most of them specializing in fashion and accessories. Open daily 11am to midnight, the complex is open an hour later for those who can't stop shopping on Saturdays, and it's closed the first and third Monday of the month. Take bus no. 104, 105, 106, 156, 242, 309, 401, 402, 404, 404-1, 407, 425, 427, 504, 508, 518, 601, 608, 724, 903, 909, 910, 939, or 980, or take the subway to Jung-ang-no Station.

Megastores

As with most cities in South Korea, large discount stores have cropped up all over Daegu. Most of them are open 10am to 11pm daily with a couple of popular locations open until midnight on Saturdays. All of them have parking available and sell everything from groceries to toothpaste.

The familiar yellow-and-black cube of E-Mart (tel. 053/605-1234) has four locations in the city -- in Seongso at 1254, Igok-dong, Dalseo-gu; Manchon at 1356-5, Manchon-dong, Suseong-gu; Wolbae at 555, Daecheon-dong, Dalseo-gu; and Chilseong at 20, Chilseong-dong 2-ga, Buk-gu.

There are also a couple of Home Plus stores in town, one in Chilseong-dong, 378-23, Chilseong-dong 2-ga, Buk-gu (tel. 053/350-8000), and the other in Chilgok, 968, Dongcheon-dong, Buk-gu. They're closed for New Year's, Lunar New Year, and Chuseok.

Traditional Markets

Other than the Yakjeon Golmok medicine market, there are large markets for all manner of agricultural and local goods throughout the city. The historic Seomun Shijang, 115-378, Daesin-dong, Jung-gu (tel. 053/256-6341), is a great place to start. One of the country's main markets since 1669, the Seomun market's current location doesn't reveal the character of its historical past, but with over 4,000 little shops, you're sure to find something of interest. Other than seafood and agricultural goods, this is one of the best places in the country to buy fabric and clothes (though remember that South Korean sizes run very small). Open daily 8am to 8pm, the market is closed on the second and fourth Sundays each month. Bus nos. 404, 504, 514, 603, 836, and 910 all stop here.

The Nammun (South Gate) Shijang is a similar but smaller market. The Chilseong Shijang, located on the east edge of downtown near the stream, has great housewares and furniture. Even smaller is the Gyodong Shijang south of Daegu Station and east of Dongseong-no.

Your best bet for happening nightlife in the city is in the Yasi-golmok area, where dozens of bars, cafes, and nightclubs are concentrated. The central shopping district also has a bunch of cafes, noraebang, hofs (beer halls), and bars. Most of the places I've listed are casual, are foreigner-friendly, and have no set dress code, but Koreans usually dress up to go out after dark. The city's gay district is near the express bus terminal.

The area around Samdeok Fire Station downtown is where most expats and foreigners living in Daegu hang out. I would mention bars and clubs there, but the turnover rate is so high that by the time you read this, the place will probably be closed. The largest concentration of foreigner-friendly bars and clubs is on Rodeo Street, which runs north-south from the fire station. Also in the area is "Hof Alley," which is lined with German-influenced beer bars.

The Kyungdae area around Kyungpook University is also a happening spot for nightlife. There are plenty of bars, nightclubs, noraebang, and DVD-bahng that cater to the college-age crowd. The area starts across the street from the university's main North gate, the bukmun. It's a 5-minute taxi ride from either the Dongdaegu or Keungogae stations off the subway.

In Dong (East) Daegu, there is also a handful of foreigner-friendly bars in Siji-dong. The streets just east of the Yeonho subway station (off of line 2) are home to a small concentration of bars catering to the foreigners who've come here to teach English in the many hagwon (privately run after-school learning academies) in the area. A couple of the bars even have weekly trivia nights and open mics.