Guide · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Seoul Department Store Tourist Coupons
Lotte, Hyundai, Galleria and Shinsegae run foreigner programs you join at an in-store desk with your passport, and the official steps include no purchase. What each gives, what to bring, where to go, and how to tell what a platform voucher adds.
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Do you have to pay for Seoul department store tourist coupons?
No. The official pages of Lotte, Hyundai and Galleria describe joining at an in-store desk with your passport and a membership sign-up, with no purchase step anywhere. Vouchers sold on travel platforms are separate bundled products whose content is whatever the listing states, and they are not a condition for the desk benefits.
| Lotte | Hyundai | Galleria | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | LOTTE Tourist Membership Card | H.Point Global (via VISITKOREA) | Global Membership |
| Benefit | 5% coupon on ₩100,000+, max ₩100,000 off per use | 3 × 5% coupons/month on ₩100,000+, 2 drink coupons/month, 1 sheet-mask pack | 5% extra coupon for new members; 1 mileage per ₩5,000 |
| To join | Passport + consent + email verification | H.Point Global + VISITKOREA member pages | Passport + membership card |
| Stated period | Jan 2 – Dec 31 | Until Dec 31, 2026 | Not stated |
What does the Lotte Tourist Membership Card give you?
A 5% coupon on purchases of ₩100,000 or more, capped at ₩100,000 off per use. A welcome coupon is issued on registration (valid 30 days) and monthly coupons are issued automatically, both in limited quantities. Show the card when paying with cash, a foreign-issued card (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, UnionPay), Alipay, WeChat Pay or LINE Pay (Taiwan); Korean domestic cards and gift certificates are not accepted.
- Cards issued in Seoul (Myeongdong Main, Jamsil) work at Myeongdong Main and Jamsil; cards issued at Busan Main work at Busan Main, Gwangbok, Dongnae and Centum City
- Some products and brands are excluded, and the card cannot be used at LOTTE World Mall
- Group perks: up to $50 off at LOTTE DUTY FREE and up to ₩10,000 off at LOTTE MART
- Issuance desks: Myeongdong Main 1F Tax Refund Lounge (next to Gucci); Jamsil 1F Tax Refund Desk (next to ALO); LOTTE World Mall B1 Tax Refund Desk; Busan Main 1F Tax Refund Desk (next to Saint Laurent)
How do you get Hyundai Department Store's tourist benefits?
Sign up as an H.Point Global member, then show your H.Point and VISITKOREA member pages on your phone at a Global Service Desk. The VISITKOREA page lists one sheet-mask pack (4 pieces, once per person), three 5% coupons a month for purchases over ₩100,000, and two free drink coupons a month, running until December 31, 2026.
- Global Service Desks: Main store (Apgujeong) 3F, Trade Center 3F, Sinchon 1F, THE HYUNDAI Seoul 6F, Pangyo 10F
What does Galleria's foreigner membership include?
New members get an extra 5% discount coupon, and purchases earn mileage you can trade for gift certificates. The official page states 1 mileage per ₩5,000 spent and a ₩5,000 gift certificate per 1,000 mileage; mileage accumulates January to December and must be redeemed January to March of the following year, with some brands and items excluded. Redemption is at the Galleria Luxury Hall WEST 4F Customer Service Center with your membership card and passport.
Does Shinsegae have a foreigner membership?
Yes, a Global Membership; Shinsegae's own press release puts it at about 220,000 members from over 120 countries. We could not find an official Shinsegae page stating a fixed discount rate, so no figure is given here. Foreign Customer Service Centers at THE Main, Gangnam, Centum City and Times Square can tell you the current offer.
- Phone: THE Main +82-2-310-1047; Gangnam +82-2-2150-2121; Centum City +82-51-745-1077; Times Square +82-2-2639-1601
- The VISITKOREA × Shinsegae coupon-book event (September 18 – October 11, 2026) has ended; it required VISITKOREA membership and registration as a Shinsegae Foreign Customer Member
What do you need to bring?
Your passport. Lotte asks you to present it at the desk, give consent and verify your email; Galleria asks for the membership card and passport when redeeming; Hyundai asks to see your H.Point Global and VISITKOREA member pages on your phone. VISITKOREA's Shinsegae event terms also note that staff may ask for ID or a passport.
What do platform "department store / duty-free coupon" products include?
Only what their own listing says, and they are separate from the free in-store memberships. For example, the Klook "Myeong-dong pass" listing describes up to 15% off at Lotte Duty Free, a ₩10,000 voucher and 10 mask packs with an English/Chinese-speaking shopping guide, located at LOTTE DUTY FREE Main Store. That is the product's own description, not a store statement about its desk programs.
How do you tell which one applies to you?
Start with the store's official foreigner page or the VISITKOREA member-benefit page; desk benefits listed there require no purchase. If a platform product repeats those desk benefits, there is no reason to pay for it; if it lists things the official page does not (a shopping guide, a specific voucher), decide on that basis. When unsure, ask the store's foreign customer desk or call the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline.
Checked 2026-11-04 on Lotte Department Store global.lotteshopping.com, Hyundai Department Store (VISITKOREA page), Galleria dept.galleria.co.kr, Shinsegae Group Newsroom and VISITKOREA. Offers can end early or change; in-store notices prevail.
Shopping guides
- Seoul sale calendar (late Oct – Mar) — Every big sale and brand sale in Seoul from late October to March. Announced dates are kept apart from expected ones (based on past years), every row is checked against a source, and each says whether tourists can use it and whether it's in stores or online.
- Seoul November 2026 sale calendar — Every big sale you can catch in Seoul in November 2026: Korea Grand Festival (Oct 29 – Nov 15), Olive Young Black Friday (Nov 1–7), 11st Singles Day (Nov 1–11), department store winter sales, MUSINSA Black Friday, US Black Friday on Nov 27 and the Korea Grand Sale from Dec 23. Each has this year's dates with sources, past editions and the latest verification date.
- Olive Young Black Friday 2026 (Nov 1–7) — Olive Young Black Friday 2026 runs Nov 1–7 in stores and online: daily deals by date, the Nov 4 Blackprize box drop, and what tourists can use.
- Korea Grand Sale & Sale Festa 2026 — The autumn Korea Grand Festival runs Oct 29–Nov 15, 2026 and is open to everyone. The winter Korea Grand Sale is for foreign visitors and runs Dec 23, 2026–Feb 13, 2027. This guide distinguishes the events and covers duty-free discounts up to 25% on Oct 29–Nov 15 and individual store conditions.
- Singles Day 11.11 in Korea 2026 — Korea's 11.11-related sales in 2026: 11st Grand 11 Day (Nov 1–11), G market Big Smile Day (Nov 2–13) and AliExpress 11.11 (Nov 1–18), mostly online and needing a Korean account. Offers and conditions, past dates, and the November sales you can use in Seoul stores.
- Korea Black Friday 2026 dates — Korea's Black Friday isn't one day: from late October through November there's the Korea Grand Festival, Shinsegae's SSG Day, and separate Black Friday sales from Olive Young, 29CM, MUSINSA and individual brands. This page lists the dates announced so far by brand and platform, gives last year's dates where nothing is announced, and says whether tourists can buy in store.
- Olive Young sale dates 2026 — Olive Young's big sale (올영세일) runs four times a year, one week each in March, June, September and December. In 2026 it ran Mar 1–7, May 31 – Jun 6 and Aug 30 – Sep 5; November Black Friday is set for Nov 1–7, and the December edition was not announced as of Oct 30, so last year's dates are shown for it. Also covers Olive Day (the 25th–27th of each month), the daily online deal, and how tourists buy and get a tax refund in store.
- Department store tourist discounts — The four department stores' tourist programs: how much they take off, which floor to go to, what to bring, which brands are excluded, and how they work with tax refunds and Alipay, WeChat Pay or UnionPay.
- Outlets near Seoul — The main outlets around Seoul compared: which has the most luxury, which is best for sportswear, how to get there by bus, opening hours, tourist coupons and tax refunds, from the outlets' own sites.
- FAQ — The questions visitors ask most, answered using related guides: tax-refund minimums, how to get department-store tourist coupons, whether they stack with tax refunds, Alipay and WeChat Pay, outlets and sale dates. Each answer names its guide; the counter has the final word.
- Korea tax refund steps — How Korea's immediate and general shopping tax refunds differ: eligibility, KRW limits, refund slips, checked bags, and airport export confirmation.
- Korea Downtown Tax Refund and Airport Counters 2026 — You don't have to wait for the airport to get your Korean tax refund: purchases of up to ₩6,000,000 can be refunded in downtown Seoul first. Based on Korea Tourism Organization data, this page lists each airport's refund counter location, hours and payout currencies.
- Seoul QR Discounts: Check Wallet Eligibility First — Spotted an "up to 5% off" QR payment promo in Seoul? Check the designated wallet name in the full terms first. Using one official campaign's rules as an example, this guide covers what to verify before paying: wallet eligibility, participating stores, discount amount and usage limits.
- Musinsa Black Friday 2026 — Musinsa has not announced its 2026 winter Black Friday dates as of Nov 2, 2026. Last year it ran from 7 pm on Nov 16 to midnight on Nov 26, 2025, with about 4,500 brands and up to 80% off; 2024 dates for comparison.
- Olive Young FAQ — Whether tourists can join Olive Young membership, why prices differ between stores and online, the instant tax refund at the counter from ₩15,000 with a physical passport, the March/June/September/December Olive Young Sale, and which payment methods stores take.
- Foreign cards in Korea — Most Korean shops take Visa and Mastercard, but subway and bus gates don't accept foreign cards yet; since March 2026 Seoul's new subway machines sell tickets on foreign cards (about 3.7% fee). Pay in won, not your home currency.
- WOWPASS FAQ — WOWPASS is a prepaid card for foreign visitors with a built-in T-money transit function. Card price, the 16 cash currencies, the 1,000 KRW withdrawal fee and how to get T-money back, from the official site and terms.
- Kakao Pay for tourists — Short-term tourists generally can't open Kakao Pay, Naver Pay or Toss, but Alipay, AlipayHK, PayPay and other Alipay+ wallets pay at Kakao Pay merchants. Officially announced wallets, places and Naver Pay's tourist measures.
- Counterfeits and complaints — Selling fakes in Korea carries up to 7 years in prison or a ₩100 million fine; small personal-use quantities in a traveler's luggage are exempt from the customs IP ban, larger ones are not. Plus Myeongdong red flags, the 1666-6464 report line and the 1330 complaint channel.
- Korea Grand Sale benefits — Korea Grand Sale 2027 runs Dec 23, 2026 – Feb 13, 2027. What has been officially announced so far, where to pick up the coupon book, and which partners are confirmed.
- Duty free vs tax refund — Duty-free prices already exclude VAT and individual consumption tax; department stores charge tax-inclusive prices and refund the tax before you leave (from ₩15,000). Downtown duty-free goods are collected only at the departure pickup counter. Plus Korea's official allowance and purchase-limit rules.
- Tax refund with discounts — Coupons and payment discounts lower the price the VAT refund is based on, and the refund you actually get is less than 10% because operator fees are deducted. Plus the 2026 instant-refund limits, the minimum purchase and refunds to Alipay, WeChat Pay or card.
- Department store hours — Weekday and weekend hours, restaurant floor hours and November 2026 closing days for Lotte Main, Shinsegae Main and Gangnam, The Hyundai Seoul, Hyundai Apgujeong and Galleria Luxury Hall, plus Lunar New Year and Chuseok closures and downtown duty-free hours.
- Tax refund & coming sales
Source: Lotte Department Store · LOTTE Tourist Membership Card (Some Stores, Jan 2 – Dec 31) ↗ · Korea Tourism Organization VISITKOREA · Hyundai Department Store (2026-05-29) ↗ · Hanwha Galleria · Global Membership – About ↗ · Shinsegae Group Newsroom · 신세계 , K-쇼핑 랜드마크로 우뚝 1월 외국인 매출 900억원 돌파 (2026-02-12) ↗ · Korea Tourism Organization VISITKOREA · GLOBAL SHOPPING FESTA (Shinsegae) ↗ · Klook · Myeong-dong pass – Free gift and Special Vouchers with Shopping Guide (listing; describes the product only) ↗
Checked Nov 4, 2026
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In progress
Olive Young December Sale — expected; dates TBA