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rakuan
Joined: 30 Aug 2004
Location: Pohang, Korea
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 Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:33 pm Post subject: Fake Designer Goods? |
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My friend is coming to Korea from Japan, and wants to buy fake designer wallets to give to her father and brother. (you know, like "Kalvin Clein" or "Goocci") She asked me where she could buy them and i have no idea, since i don't condone that kind of illegal activity...
but she does......
...and she's hot..... 
...so.... help? lol |
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Masta_Don
Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Location: Hyehwa-dong, Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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Depends. There are three tiers of fake bags/wallets here.
The first is available on any street corner. These are incredibly shoddy workmanship with the stitches already fraying and logos and known designs getting mixed up. A regular sized purse will run you $10 or less.
The next two are available in Dongdaemun. They may be available other places too.
The next level is the $30-$150 range. These look alright but to the touch or a knowing eye, they are obviously fake. They usually try to mimic classic designs and don't seem so worried on looking up-to-date. These are available from the stalls inside the shopping malls, hanging around for your perusal.
The highest price range can go up to $400 or $500. That may seem like a lot but the real bags could be up to double that price. They cannot be seen from on the floor and you have to ask for them specifically. They are almost identical to the real bags and are actually illegal (the others are not becuz "everyone knows they're fake").
God, I hate the girl who put all this knowledge in my head.
VVVVV Yeah but Itaewon is going to have the highest prices. But if you don't speak Korean I guess that's the place to go for the least amount of hassle.
Last edited by Masta_Don on Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:43 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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A warning: one there's a massive crack down on this at airport customs.
Namdaemoon is where you can go for your basic B-level knock offs. I went with a Korean friend to Itaewon and got the high grade stuff (probably made in the LV factory during the secret midnight factory shift). You don't find it on the street. Some Korean guys will approach you (or your lady). Just say knock off? Knock off? You then get led into a scary alley and into a strange basement. Lots of code words pass. You can peruse catalogs (all in Japanese) and pretty much pick out what you want. Prices are high but it's about as close to the real deal as you'll get. |
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tigerbluekitty
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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I think alot of those counterfeit bags are originally made in China but resold in Korea for much bigger profit.
A Japanese friend visited Dongdaemun where dealers secretly showed her their goods, and she said the mark up for the exact same goods were 3-5 times the prices she saw in China. What's dumb is the dealers didn't even bother removing some of the tags with Chinese writing on it (same tags she saw in China), and they kept insisting to her the bags were made in Korea and are "top quality".
What these guys do to make a sale. 
Last edited by tigerbluekitty on Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject: |
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| I found a pair of authentic Birkensticks in Dongdaemoon for a fair price. Also a long time ago I found Fila track clothes that boasted the name "Fred." |
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Young FRANKenstein
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:14 am Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
| A warning: one there's a massive crack down on this at airport customs. |
My cousin back home wanted a fake Rolex, but a good one. I went to Namdaemun and Itaewon, took digital pictures of a variety of them, he chose the one he liked and I mailed it back to him. No problem with Canada Post at all. |
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betchay
Joined: 23 Aug 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:33 am Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
A warning: one there's a massive crack down on this at airport customs.
Namdaemoon is where you can go for your basic B-level knock offs. I went with a Korean friend to Itaewon and got the high grade stuff (probably made in the LV factory during the secret midnight factory shift). You don't find it on the street. Some Korean guys will approach you (or your lady). Just say knock off? Knock off? You then get led into a scary alley and into a strange basement. Lots of code words pass. You can peruse catalogs (all in Japanese) and pretty much pick out what you want. Prices are high but it's about as close to the real deal as you'll get. |
this reminded me of my experience in new york... my sister and i were gonna cross the street in chinatown (we walked there from little italy where we had dinner)... one chinese lady approached us and whispered "coach, LV, bags"... we were not planning on buying bags but we were curious so we just went with her and she led us to a store... there's a "hidden" wall and we went inside a secret room where boxes and boxes of LV, coach, prada and other designer bags are stored... we end up buying two "prada" wallets...
btw, on the TSA website, travelers are permitted to bring in one "fake" item to the USA... (well, as of oct 2006) |
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rakuan
Joined: 30 Aug 2004
Location: Pohang, Korea
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 5:26 am Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
A warning: one there's a massive crack down on this at airport customs.
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Yeah, i've seen signs in the airports in Japan, so i told her that myself.
| mindmetoo wrote: |
| Namdaemoon is where you can go for your basic B-level knock offs. I went with a Korean friend to Itaewon and got the high grade stuff (probably made in the LV factory during the secret midnight factory shift). You don't find it on the street. Some Korean guys will approach you (or your lady). Just say knock off? Knock off? You then get led into a scary alley and into a strange basement. Lots of code words pass. You can peruse catalogs (all in Japanese) and pretty much pick out what you want. Prices are high but it's about as close to the real deal as you'll get. |
badass! i've always wanted to go somewhere shady where i needed a password to get in!
| Masta_Don wrote: |
God, I hate the girl who put all this knowledge in my head.
The first is available on any street corner. These are incredibly shoddy workmanship with the stitches already fraying and logos and known designs getting mixed up. A regular sized purse will run you $10 or less.
The next two are available in Dongdaemun. They may be available other places too.
Itaewon is going to have the highest prices. But if you don't speak Korean I guess that's the place to go for the least amount of hassle. |
I LOVE the girl that put all this knowledge in your head! I'll mark those three areas on my dating route. She's Japanese, and my Korean isn't bad, so I don't think we'll have any trouble attracting sellers and communicating with them.
Thanks for your help guys. |
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rowdie3
Joined: 22 Sep 2003
Location: Itaewon, Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: |
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Hey,
The best place I know of is in Songtan. There are at least 8 purse stores all in one block. Here is a link to my favorite store. Tell her the Canadian teacher's (Jenn and Sandy) sent you and she'll give you a deal.
http://kr.blog.yahoo.com/cometosunshine
J |
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Dev
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:29 am Post subject: |
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| tigerbluekitty wrote: |
I think alot of those counterfeit bags are originally made in China but resold in Korea for much bigger profit.
A Japanese friend visited Dongdaemun where dealers secretly showed her their goods, and she said the mark up for the exact same goods were 3-5 times the prices she saw in China. What's dumb is the dealers didn't even bother removing some of the tags with Chinese writing on it (same tags she saw in China), and they kept insisting to her the bags were made in Korea and are "top quality".
What these guys do to make a sale. |
What you have written here is absolutely true. For example: in Itaewon, my friend was looking at fake watches. The Korean seller told him 100,000 won. With much negotiation, I think my buddy got him down to 70,000 won.
In China, the same watches are 35,000 won ~ 50,000 won. It's much better to wait until you go to China to shop for these things. If you have no plans to visit China in the future, I guess paying 20,000 ~ 50,000 won more is worth it.
But you're right. I am convinced that most of the knock offs are imported from China.
Actually, I once saw a program on Korean TV that showed people getting busted at the airport here trying to smuggle large quantities of fake designer watches into Korea. |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:34 am Post subject: |
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| There are a few places in Itaewon that have the highest grade fakes. I go with my GF and her mom also goes there. Last time we were in there, there was suddenly a phone call and they started throwing all the stuff into suitcases and throwing them and they kicked us out and said to come back in 30 minutes. Basically, all the customers are Japanese doing what your friend is doing. I remember we bought a knock-off LV wallet and Chanel purse. The total was about $400... I think... maybe... actually I can't remember. Anyways, I took them home to Canada and had no problems. |
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Harpeau
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Coquitlam, BC
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:48 am Post subject: |
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| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| I found a pair of authentic Birkensticks in Dongdaemoon for a fair price. Also a long time ago I found Fila track clothes that boasted the name "Fred." |
Where did you find them? How much? Thanks. |
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in_seoul_2003
Joined: 24 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:40 am Post subject: |
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There's a certain method to the madness, however.
No one is going to believe that the supposedly $2000 bag your carrying is real if your rolling around in a Kia, or Hyundai or Ford Escort. Even a Lexus would not be convincing since the amount of money you put into your car is not proportional to the amount of money you put into your bag---a Lexus is only twice the cost of an average car but THAT bag or wallet or, watch should be about 1000X the price of an average bag, wallet, or watch.
People might suspect it's fake, but they will definitely know it's fake if you don't have the swagger to go with the symbol. |
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Pak Yu Man
Joined: 02 Jun 2005
Location: The Ida galaxy
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:18 am Post subject: |
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A lot of that stuff is made here.
Said designer back homes gives the company enough material to make 50 products. There is relly enough to mke more...let's say 55.
So some of these knock offs are just ike the real thing but they are missing labels or whatnot.
Factory guys sell the 5 extra products to some guy who sells them on the street. |
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mrsquirrel
Joined: 13 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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| betchay wrote: |
| mindmetoo wrote: |
A warning: one there's a massive crack down on this at airport customs.
Namdaemoon is where you can go for your basic B-level knock offs. I went with a Korean friend to Itaewon and got the high grade stuff (probably made in the LV factory during the secret midnight factory shift). You don't find it on the street. Some Korean guys will approach you (or your lady). Just say knock off? Knock off? You then get led into a scary alley and into a strange basement. Lots of code words pass. You can peruse catalogs (all in Japanese) and pretty much pick out what you want. Prices are high but it's about as close to the real deal as you'll get. |
this reminded me of my experience in new york... my sister and i were gonna cross the street in chinatown (we walked there from little italy where we had dinner)... one chinese lady approached us and whispered "coach, LV, bags"... we were not planning on buying bags but we were curious so we just went with her and she led us to a store... there's a "hidden" wall and we went inside a secret room where boxes and boxes of LV, coach, prada and other designer bags are stored... we end up buying two "prada" wallets...
btw, on the TSA website, travelers are permitted to bring in one "fake" item to the USA... (well, as of oct 2006) |
No you didn't.
That is a scene from that American police show The Shield. You watched it on TV one night. |
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