Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pattinsons]

Hi. I was just wondering about experiences with the custom leathershops in Itaewon. I was interested in getting a leather jacket for the spring/fall.

Just wondering about prices and which ones are reputable.

Any information would be helpful. Thanks for your assistance.

[jb283k]

I have been dying to know this, too! Help us out!

[v88]

I've bought a few things.

Generally good but not really top quality, unless it was an item from one of the bigger brand names.

My biggest problem with cheap leather from any where in Korea (they are all the same) is cheap velcro that doesn't last long, cheap zippers that break (not YKK zippers) and poor stitching that comes apart easily.

However, not all pieces are bad. Many are really good. If you have an eye for quality zippers, stitching, velcro and leather you'll be able to pick up some good stuff from almost any of the shops in Itaewon.

I had a pair of Doctor K shoes (nock off Doc Marten) and knock off Caterpillar boots that were really good. The boots weren't really work boot or motorcycle grade though. It can be tough to get really tough boots, but the shoes have been great. I don't remember the shop name but it was on the left near the end of the strip (if you are walking to Nokseopyeong station). There is another boot shop on the right hand side before the Burger King that is pretty good.

I bought some Rev-it motorcyclce gloves from the Maxler shop that have been amazing. Very cheap price from a top notch brand (not a nock off). They also sell cheap racing leathers and have some good deals on a few models of Shift or Alpinestars jackets (also not knock offs). They have some knock off Joe Rocket jackets as well that are about the same as the originals (except for a few years old - Joe Rocket used to have leather made here so you can find more than a few top quality knock offs). Other leather jackets seem to be OK, a friend of mine bought a generic jacket (seems that every shop makes one that looks exactly the same) and it has been a solid jacket for 2 years now. I think many places get their goods from the same factory so you'll see a lot of repitition.

You can also try your luck in Osan, they have more than a few shops.

Be prepared to bargain with some guys. You might find they are willing to sell things much cheaper than you expect. I was able to get a guy down from 300,000 (which was a joke) to 150,000 (which was good) on a jacket. Some of these guys still act like it's 1988.

As far as getting things custom...I don't know if its worth it. They try really hard to suck you dry. I had a pair of pants made (for riding) and they nickeled and dimed me to the end. Constantly trying to get more money and constantly trying to cut corners. Far less hassle just to find a product that fits best or have something shipped in.