What to do for Halloween???

New to Korea and/or worried about what to do for Halloween? I am here to help you figure it out. The most important things obviously, are costumes and parties. We'll tackle them both.

Well first of all, as a fair warning, keep in mind that most Koreans don't celebrate Halloween. If you are an English teacher, some of your kids will be familiar with the idea of dressing up and getting candy (and try to demand you bring them some). However do not fret. A younger generation of college students, and definitely all the Waegookin (foreigners), do not forget this amazing holiday. As a result, the country responds the way any place with a demand would, supply - but maybe in less of a scale many of us are used to. But anyway, on to the important stuff.

COSTUMES:

You can get many "routine" costumes and masks (princess, fairy, wolf etc) around especially in places like Itaewon or even e-mart, lotte mart etc. To be more unique however, requires a bit of searching. Last year, I was Jem (see here). I bought bits and pieces of my costume in various areas, and with a bit of creativity I made other parts too. I bought some stuff from the toy market in Dongdaemun.

The Yeogiyo website* has an extensive list of place s you can get costumes from. Check it out here and they will even order the online ones for you if you can't read korean (for a small fee)

* I am not affiliated with them in any way. I have had them order stuff online for me before, but now I can handle most of it myself.

PARTIES:


There will be tons of parties happening in Itaewon (the foreigner district). Heck all you have to do is walk around and you'll see people all dressed up. So far I know wolfhound's is having a party complete with prizes for best costume with a W10,000 cover (free drink included). Other places will be packed as well.

10 Magazine has an extensive list here too.

Last year, I continued the party over in Hongdae (and I've heard many people, including myself, plan to do the same this year). There, we intermingled, costumed and noncostumed alike (remember many Koreans won't dress up, although some will) to dance until the break of dawn. Just don't freak out when people stare at you oddly on the train with your freaky makeup and neon colored hair and smeared makeup the next morning - thats just your costume, and not you who the totally always stare at in normal clothing anyways (oh wait, that's my story)...

Haha - look for me if you can. I haven't even decided what I'll be yet, but there can't be that many people in Seoul who look like me, can there?

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN :)