$18 Rolex - Yes, please!

Last night we took a trip to Namdaemun, which is a large outdoor shopping region where you are expected to bargain with the vendors. It was a lot of fun and was my first experience with the famous "copy culture" of South Korea. It was also my first experience bargaining with vendors to lower the price, which at first felt a little awkward, but after a few times it actually became a lot of fun! Even with the language barrier, it was still very easy to bargain. In fact, I think not knowing the language made it even more fun because both the vendor and I had to use a lot more body language to communicate and it was really funny to watch.

Shortly after arriving, I found a silver and blue Rolex watch for 18,000 won (~$18 American) and Namdaemun instantly became one of my favorite new locations to shop. Needless to say, the watch was a knockoff, but I couldn't tell the difference, nor do I think most people around the world would be able to tell.  Rolex wasn't the only expensive brand that you could find "copies" of either. Basically every big name-brand item (Gucci, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, etc.) you could think of there was a replica of at the market, most of which you could not tell the difference between the real thing and the knock-off.

I think these products are mostly targeted towards middle-class people college-age students who can't afford the actual name-brand items, but who still want the look and style of them. Just as in the U.S., economic status is very important and so I feel these "copies" of normally expensive items enable middle-class people to affordably maintain an upper-class look.

So if I return to the states dressed like someone out of a GQ magazine, I challenge you to decide for yourself which items you think are real and which ones are "copies" :)

Below is a picture of the actual market at Namdaemun!