Who loves crafting and lives in South Korea? You found the right blog for finding your supplies and new craft addictions in and around Pyeongtaek/Osan.
About My Crafting Life
Anyone who knows me knows that I have a bit of a crafting addiction. In addition to my more modern projects I am also a member of the Stronghold of Warrior’s Gate, the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism so I am frequently working on pieces based on medieval European crafts. Because of this, I’m always looking for supplies for my latest project whether it be making an embroidered pouch for the Queen of the West or building a stand for my many, many plants. Learning how to do this in Korea has been a bit of work as major crafting stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby just don’t exist here. Instead, small specialty stores dot the landscape. While this may require more effort in searching, it’s well worth it to support small mom-and-pop businesses that are knowledgeable about their products.
This article focuses on specialty crafting supplies. For information about fine art supplies, I recommend reading our Arts and Crafts Supplies in South Korea article.
Also, my list of craft supplies in this post is, in no way, exhaustive. I highly recommend people check out the South of Seoul App, Naver App, and other resources to find shops and to add any you might find. I have also included some truly excellent stores I have found outside of the Pyeongtaek area for people to check out while exploring this awesome country.
Additionally, this craft supplies list focuses on what is available in Pyeongtaek-si and the surrounding areas. Another resource in this area includes The Camp Humphreys Crafters Facebook group. It is also a great resource for connecting with other crafters and sharing your projects.
About Crafting In Korea
The east and west have different cultures and crafting histories. Such differences in cultural history and economic development mean that there are also differences in the supply chain and culture surrounding crafting activities. To understand shopping for craft supplies in Korea you need to understand more about such differences.
Traditional Korean Crafts
Korean traditional crafts include such things as decorative storage, hanji, bojagi, weaving, needlework, dye-related work, etc. In fact, I have been taking advantage of these differences and have been studying hanji from a local teacher. After clicking on the included links you may notice that such crafts do not always match the materials and supplies used in the west.
Crafting in Korean History
Historically speaking, crafting in Korea links to survival activities such as the need to create storage, clothing, etc. This tracks similarly with the west. However, Korea only recently became a country with enough free time and money to have fun hobbies in the past decade.
Such a change in free time and the financial freedom to pursue hobbies means that demand for western craft supplies grows each year. More Koreans love to create simply for their passion and creative interests. It also means that Korean businesses open to meet this social need as well. This brings us to one of my favorite things about Korea, the maker spaces.
Classes and Maker Spaces
Due to cultural differences, many Koreans practice their crafting in studios and classes instead of at home. This is great news for short-term international residents. Such a culture means less space taken up by tools and supplies inside the home and larger groups can meet together to work. Not only can you learn new skills in these classes, but you can also meet locals who share your interests. While some places may have ex-pat-friendly English-speaking instructors, don’t be afraid to try out something even if there is a language barrier. You can get incredibly far with hand gestures and translation apps.
Pyeongtaek Activity offers such options as woodworking and perfume-making classes that are fun and have English language instructors. They are located out of Wood Working Story Cafe.
El Dolce Sewing offers English Language sewing classes, including classes aimed at kids!
Wood Working Story Cafe
0316510571
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
경기 평택시 유천1길 16
This is a carpentry cafe. You can learn and make various wood crafts here. Simple products include wall clocks, speakers, lighting, chopsticks, and wooden portraits. If you want to study more detail, you can enroll in a carpenters license class.
Sourcing Craft Supplies
Now that I’ve shared more about the culture of crafting in Korea, let’s talk about finding the supplies we all need for our own culture of crafting while living in South Korea. While living in South Korea you will probably want to keep up with your own crafting interests and you can do just that with a little research and community support. However, expect western crafting supplies to possibly differ from home. You may need to manage expectations and be willing try new things.
Sewing
Happy Quilt Pyeongtaek
Hangul Address
경기 평택시 지제로 65-16
Cash only. Show at least 1 hour before closing to shop. Lots of quilting material.
Happy Quilt is my first stop for all things sewing. The store has a decent-sized warehouse packed with fabrics. While they do carry a lot of cotton for quilting, they also carry tons of other materials. They also have notions, some beads, batting, tools, and handbag supplies. They are CASH ONLY so be sure to bring more won than you think you need.
Bidanjangsu
01046686220
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
경기 평택시 탄현로 308
Knit Fabric Store Jisan-dong near Osan Air Force Base
Cloth store in Osan that carries a variety of fabrics. It’s a small storefront on the first floor.
Dongdaemun Fabric and Craft Market (Seoul)
Located in Seoul at Dongdaemun Station exit # 9 Dongdaemun Fabric and Craft Market (동대문종합시장) is THE place for sewing and craft supplies in South Korea. It’s a 6 story complex of buildings with stalls packed so close together that it is easy to get lost. Not only can you get every type of fabric imaginable, this is also the place for ribbons, beads, lace, jewelry-making supplies, yarn, embroidery supplies, and so much more. If you are a crafter at all this place is worth spending a day at.
Seomun Market (Daegu)
Seomun Market (서문시장) is a large traditional market in Daegu that specializes in silk and other hanbok fabrics. The fabric there is absolutely gorgeous and the market is a great stop for any trip to this super fun city.
Knitting/Crochet
Tiny yarn shops are all over the place, especially near Tonbok Market. If you are searching in Naver for stores in your area 자수 (embriodery) and 실 (yarn) are both good terms to find what you need. 자수 is used interchangeably for stores that sell yarn as well as places that sell embroidery supplies or embroidered products, so you might have to hit a few locations to find what you want.
Below are some of the yarn stores that have been added to the South of Seoul App.
Pyeongtaek Hand Knitting Store
031-653-6909
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
33 Pyeongtaek-ro 64beon-gil Pyeon
Nice selection of yarn of various types and thickness
Namsung Mosa
050713226700
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
경기 수원시 팔달구 수웑천로 247
Carry yarn, macrame cord, purse hardware, trinkets, knitting needles, crochet hooks, and buttons.
Yarn Store
010-8299-4203
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
경기도 평택시 서정동 313-20
Tiny little yarn store that has crammed in as much as they possibly can. Easy to miss if you dont know its there.
Embroidery/Cross Stitch
Traditional Korean Embroidery is called Chasu (자수) and has a long history that deserves its own article. Despite it being such an important part of Korean culture, I am still trying to find stores that sell supplies. This section will be updated as I learn more about it.
European Style Cross Stitch
031-652-1827
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
경기 평택시 평택2로 52
Small store that carries cross stitch patterns, kits, and DMC embroidery floss
European cross stitch is a tiny shop with completed cross stitches, patterns, and what I’m pretty sure is the full line of DMC embroidery floss. She is my go-to when I need a specific color.
I have also seen some very cute embroidery and cross stitch kits at Daiso if you are looking for a good beginner project.
Woodworking
Just like Korea doesn’t have the equivalent of Michaels or Hobby Lobby, there are also no big box home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes. If you are looking for lumber stores in Naver 목재 (wood) seems to be a good search term.
Hannam Wood
0316513900
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
경기 평택시 영택42로 10
Lumber store with tools, carpentry supplies, and a small selection of paint
Hannam Wood is a lumber store in Pyeongtaek. It’s a different experience shopping there than at the lumber yards in the US. Instead of browsing stacks of wood, there are examples of what is carried behind the counter. You tell them what you are looking for, and they will show you options that match your criteria. They will also cut your pieces down to size. No one there really speaks English, but everyone is super friendly and are willing to take the time to make sure you get what you want.
For Military affiliated crafters
The Arts and Crafts Center at Camp Humphreys has a well-supplied woodworking shop that also sells lumber. While the selection isn’t extensive, it does have some very nice hardwoods as well as live edge woods at a very good price.
Vinyl (Circuit/Silhouette)
This is not a hobby that I actually participate in, but I frequently see requests for information about where to get vinyl for projects. While there is not yet a good physical store for vinyl that has been found, Stars HTV Seoul is a Korean online store that sells HTV, paper/perm vinyl, blank shirts and sweatshirts and foil for embossing. They require a local address for delivery, but do accept US Paypal for payment.
Some Dream Depot and Alpha locations carry PVC which is good for temporary projects. More information about Dream Depot and Alpha can be found in our Arts and Craft Supplies in South Korea article.
Beads/Jewelry Making
This is another hobby that I have not yet found a local source for. However, the Dongdaemun Fabric and Craft Market in Seoul has an entire floor dedicated to beads and jewelry-making supplies.
Namdaemun market in Seoul has areas where you can buy beads and jewelry-making items. The New Seoul Accessory Parts Commercial Center (뉴서울악세사리부품상가) was one such store.
More to come
I hope that this information is helpful to all y’all crafters out there. Feel free to reach out with any other crafts you are interested in sourcing supplies for or awesome stores that I missed. This article will continue to grow as I continue to explore and connect with other crafters.
Courtney moved to Korea in 2021 where she lives with her husband and two cats. When she’s not heading out on whatever new adventure has struck her fancy she runs the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism.
When not living abroad Courtney lives and breathes her career as an academic librarian who focuses on cataloging, children’s and YA literature, and critical pedagogy. She has brought her focus on information organization and access to South of Seoul working on search engine optimization and backend cleanup.
