Korean Job Discussion Forums

[doublejeopardy]

I know there are some runners on this board. I am hoping you can help me. I am looking for a running store in seoul. I need real running shoes, and preferably staff that know something about running and running shoes. Maybe somewhere that sells saucony? I passed a running store in a cab once, but there's no way I could find it again. I'm in the apgujeong/gangnam area.

Does anyone know of such a place? Thanks.

[plato's republic]

I thought this post was about doing a midnight run

[billybrobby]

also, if anybody knows where you can buy inserts for your shoes (like arch support and stuff like that), let me know

[RACETRAITOR]

[ddeubel]

You are right, there is a dearth of shoe stores that offer any sort of knowledge about shoe fit/size/function.......

I was at the Asics at Dongdaemun stadium. Real hicks there!!! They wouldn't even let you try on two shoes!!! I kept insisting despite my girlfriend's (who I was buying the shoes for) slight embarrassment.

So I don't know where you can go for the normal Nike/Adidas/Puma stuff. . Lots of shoes around but the prices are usually exhorbitant and the staff unknowledgeable.

that said, I can recommend my friend BJ Park . He makes his own running shoes and is an ultrarunner like me. Great shoes, FAAB they are called. 65,000 won. Super fit, soft and you'll be satisfied. He is at Jamsil, not far away from you. Go see him. PM for details or also visit his website at www.ohmyshoe.com

Cheers,

DD

[mswiftansan]

I like to run and am pretty picky about my shoes. I have consistently bought the same pair for the last 3 (Nike Pegasus), and I found some here at the ABC store. There's one in COEX and one in Myongdong that I know of. Sure there are more. As expensive as home, and they let you try them on. Don't know about Saucony, but they had shox? Good luck!

[ddeubel]

Forgot to mention. NOOOO Saucony. But if you have a contact on the base, you can get them shipped there free of charge!!!! Go to Roadrunner.com and you'll find tons of Saucony deals. You can get two pair over here for under $100 bucks.

DD

[sadsac]

www.footlocker.com Great place to buy footwear. Inexpensive and egt onboard with a few feiends and the postage is cheap as chips.

[coffeeman]

You should give Asics a try. I've had a pair of Sauconys and thought they were good, but not great. Asics have a better shock absorption system. I've noticed that most runners go with Asics or New Balance.

[doublejeopardy]

It doesn't have to be sauconys, that's just what I have now, which I got after trying about 5 other pairs at a store that would let me take them home and try them out up and down my apt hallway. Mostly I want a store where they know what they are talking about, you know where you bring in your old shoes and they lead you right to the pair that will be perfect for you, or at least narrow it down...not, oh these are expensive and you look like a chump, 'cause I am.

I am too sensitive, or my feet are. Maybe I just need to save my money and buy some machine or suck it up and fork over the cash for the gym again. Why are the gyms here so bad and expensive all at the same time? Of course, if I were willing to leave a three block radius maybe I could find something more reasonable. Well, now I am officially rambling.

[paperbag princess]

i wore asics for almost 8 years, then i came to korea and found out they don't make my size here. back home, i wear a size 9 women's or a 7 men's. korea's top female size is an 8.5 and the bottom male size is a 7.5. i called them and they told me that not enough people have my shoe size here... i understand if no women have feet that are that big, but you're telling me that korean men's feet are larger than canadian feet??? ok, whatever.

anyway, so i switched to new balance. the new balance people are so awesome. i tried on a shoe and they didn't have the right size so they called head office for me. they phoned me (i expected the promise of a call-back to be a polite way to get the large-footed waegook out of the store) in 15 minutes with the closest stores to my house, with all the size/colour info annd directions from the subway.

if you are looking for a "runner's choice"/"runner's world" type of store, you are SOL.

[doublejeopardy]

princess, where'd you get the new balance? I mostly want shoes that won't tear up my feet and hopefully won't cause any other problems to surface. I'm willing to pay for quality.

I feel your pain in finding shoes for your size, at least second hand. My roommate last year was size 9 and it was so frustrating for her to look for shoes, she bought maybe one pair in the whole year. Luckily, I have teeny tiny feet for my height, though I am still at the upper end in most stores.

[margaret]