Episode 10: The Pharmacies

If you’re from the States, you most likely know the two dominating pharmacies that are CVS and Walgreens. Similar to the convenience stores in Seoul, they tend to sell anything you might need – even skincare and makeup – with the addition of over the counter medications and a built in pharmacy for prescriptions. 

 

The pharmacies in Seoul are a bit different. In fact, they’re a bit more specialized and can vary depending on the one you go to. Rather than selling daily conveniences, the pharmacies here will sell solely over the counter medication, skincare, or a mixture of both. The pharmacists are also quite knowledgeable and do their best to give you the best over the counter medication to aid your ailments.

 

The skincare pharmacies are also well known to be essentially a walk in dermatology clinic. They’re said to be incredibly helpful in determining your skin issues and giving you skincare aimed to fix them. You’re in good hands no matter where you go.

 

This convenience likely stems from a couple of things in South Korean culture. Aside from the obvious prioritization of convenience, there is an incredibly large emphasis on looks and appearance here. The accessibility to such solutions only makes it easier to achieve and maintain one’s desired appearance which seem to be so integral to South Korean society.

 

Until next time 🙂

Linh Duong