Seoul 11.12 - got a pair of glasses

I've been wearing my contacts for years. I do have a pair of glasses from 15 years ago (!) that I wear at home. I can still see with these glasses, but I knew the it was totally not for my current eyesight any more.

I had heard that Korean-made glasses (especially frames) were of good quality and style, and it would be fast and easy to get a pair while in Korea.

So I did a quick research and decided I would get a new pair of glasses when I was in Namdaemun, Seoul.

John and I were going to visit the Namdaemun Market anyhow, and getting a cute new pair of glasses along the way would be great!

So we arrived at the Hoehyeon station and took exit 5, where it was pretty much at one beginning/end of the Namdaemun Market, and there were quite a few eyeglasses shops!



And which one did I choose?



There was this ajushi smiling and trying to get people to get into his store, and on top of that there was a manikin wearing a pair of sunglasses and bowing (!) in front of the shop! I had to go in!

I probably should have taken more photos of my whole eyeglasses-getting adventure, but I didn't. I did take a photograph of the lady who was kind and helping me along the way. I even haggled down the price of the pair I got. hehehe.



The lady had me pick out a frame that I liked first, and I looked and looked, and chose one that was made in Korea. It was flexible and pretty classic-looking and I loved it.

She then took me to have my eyes examined. We repeated the different processes quite a few times just to make sure I was satisfied with everything. (And during this whole time John was helping by holding my bag and coffee.) Then she had me choose the type of lenses I wanted.

The lady spoke fluent Japanese and her English was very good, too (even though she was shy about it.) It was an absolutely wonderful experience and I loved it! My new glasses was very light, and the thin Nikon lenses were wonderful! It only took about 20 minutes for the glasses to be ready, so during that time John and I just walked around near the shop. And when we returned it was all ready for me!

I love my new glasses. I took a couple silly photos of myself wearing them at 5Extract, a wonderful coffee shop, while John and the shop owner/barista chatted.




I love my glasses!