Korean Job Discussion Forums

[casey's moon]

In the 5 and a half years I've lived in Korea, I've never bought a bra here. Pregnancy is making my boobs (will that be censored?) huge and I now need a bigger size of bra -- no time to go home and shop!

Anyone know how bra sizing works in Korea? Is it the same as in Canada? I realize I may need to go to a maternity shop to find something that will fit me, but if not, anyone have any chain stores they can recommend for bra shopping? I'm also worried that nothing will fit and that even if they did, they will be padded and lacey and pokey and all sorts of bad things. I need something pretty basic and solid -- nothing particularly pretty.

Thanks!

[plattwaz]

The sizes are in cm and not inches, and I have found them to be quite close in cup size, perhaps a bit small.

What I started buying recently were the Pierre Cardin and "Tam-Tam" lines from E-Mart -- mainly because they are the first non-lacy bras I've found ... until I found them, like you I had never bought a bra in Korea! They aren't too ugly...although a bit teenager-ish in style, but it seems to be that or ajumma-ish are the only choices!

They aren't at every Emart, I've only seen them at the new one in Juk-Cheon (south of Bundang's Ori station), which is a huge Emart, and brand new.

Hope that helps!

[Corporal]

They're not the same in cup size. A Western B is a Korean C. And so on.

It's to make the women feel better about themselves.

[The Hierophant]

I'm sure many of us would love to help you, but in order to do so we will need to see pictures of the aforementioned huge boobs... purely to assess the situation, you understand.

...

[casey's moon]

[crazylemongirl]

online shopping might be best! get shipped to canada and then here to avoid customs fees.

jc penny's has a whole lot of stuff here

[Dawn]

I got a $200 ($154 merchandise + shipping/insurance) order in the mail from JC Penney last week and actually didn't have to pay customs. Arrived in under a week too. Of course, JC Penney did take 10 full days to get around to shipping it out. ...

If you can wait three or four weeks, online may well be your best bet. Penney's has a decent array of maternity and nursing bras.

[casey's moon]

Thanks for the advice, but it can't wait. I can barely wait until the end of this week but I'm too drained to shop after work. Plus since I don't know my new size I'm going to need to try something on.

Thanks though

[peppermint]

There's a shop called UMille in COEX. I don't know if they'd have nursing bras but they do carry large sizes there, up to a Western D for sure.

[casey's moon]

[peppergirl]

I think I tried that Umille shop in Coex when I was pregnant, the shop lady measured me and then referred me to the Hyundai department store as she didn't have my size...
I bought a couple of very expensive bras (80000 won I think) in the department store, but they were really great and still using them now (still BF, still big).

The maternity clothes in the department stores are ugly and very very expensive, my mother sent me practically everything. My friend recently bought some maternity jeans and pants in Dongdaemun that were ok and not too expensive (3-4 man won), if you need directions I'll ask her.

By the way, congratulations!!!

[casey's moon]

Thanks peppergirl!!!

Good stuff to know -- haven't been able to go to Seoul yet, so still fighting with the undergarments I've got.... hope to get up there this weekend and will put this thread to good use then!!!

Take care!

[simone]

Walked into UMille the other day. The sales girl looked primed with her tape measure... good sign. I was just "eye shopping" though.

Against the back wall they have both decorative and simple beige t-shirt bras... in sizes like G, H, I, and J. Never heard of a J. Looked like an F. I've seen an F before.

Of course, if you're someone who's in the FF category back home, you find it hard enough to shop for bras at home... Likely someone who would stock up before coming to Korea.

UMille is in the back area near the Apple store, not in the main strip with the arcade and movie theater.

[casey's moon]

I'm actually getting butterflies in my stomach thinking about going shopping for bras and maternity clothes this weekend. I hate shopping in the best of conditions, and these are probably the worst of conditions.... Thank god I stocked up on comfy, pretty shoes last time I was home -- I couldn't handle shoe shopping on top of all the rest....

I do have a question about UMille -- do they have mostly pretty satiny, lacy bras, or do they have some comfortable, highly functional bras as well? I'm really not into pretty right now - it's all about comfort and support.

Thanks everyone!

[simone]

I mostly saw pretty ones. Havent' really shopped there yet.

Near the bottom were smoother, t-shirt style in tan coloured stretch satin.

I think if you throw yourself at their mercy, they won't let you down.

Good luck.