Table of Contents
Korean dramas that aired in the early 2000s are believed to be the reason why Hallyu catapulted into popularity in Asia, including Singapore. But the one that probably made loyal Hallyu fans is K-pop. The music culture that it introduced to Singaporeans is still being practiced up to this day. One example is the use of transportation ads where they put promotional posters or videos to buses and subways whenever a K-pop group holds a comeback.
Another thing, did you know that some of the biggest K-pop events in Asia happen in Singapore? One example is the MBC Korean Music Wave that took place at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore in 2013. The line-up of artists includes second-era K-pop legends 2PM, SHINee, TaeTiSeo, KARA, 4minute, and IU. Recently, they also held the HallyuPopFest, the first of its kind and the largest K-pop festival in Southeast Asia. It took place at Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2018 and 2019.
With all these Hallyu influences that happened and still happen in Singapore, you can conclude that Singaporean fans are willing to spend for their favorite Korean celebrities, which also includes other products of K-culture. Somehow, this connection gave way to an exchange of markets between the two countries. And the only thing needed is a convenient and useful way to bridge the gap.
Sign up & Receive 2 DK Points
Where to Buy Legitimate Korean Products
With the spread of Hallyu in Singapore, Korean stores started to pop up in malls and even in supermarkets and street stalls. One of the oldest Korean grocery stores is called SHINE Korea where you can buy Korean foods. And there are also branded beauty and fashion stores in malls like SASA, Guardian, Orchard Gateway, and Ngee Ann City. But of course, having legitimate Korean products directly from South Korea are still the best one you can have. They are also direct support for your Korean idols and actors’ careers.
Not all Korean brands are available in offline stores in Singapore, so you really have to shop online to purchase them. Fortunately, the e-commerce industry has grown to cater to buyers worldwide. Here is a list of Korean online apps and stores that could cater to your K-culture needs:
- K-pop: KPOPTOWN, Ktown4u, YG Select, and Weverse Shop
- K-beauty: Olive Young, APMall, Cosrx, Krave, Missha, and Kundal
- K-fashion: Style Nanda, Zigzag, Kooding, Mejiwoo, and Chuu
- K-accessories: Clue, Asmama, Wandering Youth, and J.Estina
- K-stationeries: ICONIC, LINE Friends, Kakao Friends, and BT21
- K-tech: LG Electronics, Hi-mart, Samsung, and Cuckoo Mall
- K-marketplace: G-market, Interpark, 11st, Coupang, and Naver Shopping
- K-books: Yes 24, Kyobo, and Aladin
Sign up & Receive 2 DK Points
Package Forwarding and Personal Shopping Services
For K-store buyers, especially newbies, buying in a Korean store can be an overwhelming process. That is why there are now shipping companies that offer forwarding services to meet your needs. And one of these companies that you can trust is DELIVERED KOREA. If you want to avail of their services, you must sign up on their website first.
Problems that you may encounter buying Korean products include misunderstandings because of the language barrier and even ordering mistakes. That is why Delivered Korea came up with two services that would make your buying process easier. The first one is:
You Buy, We Ship
You, as a buyer, can use this service when all you need is package forwarding assistance. It means that you already know your way with Korean online app and stores, and you just need a company to ship your items locally in Singapore. Of course, K-stores can directly ship your items to your country, but usually, the international shipping fee is expensive. A package forwarding company will let you ship the items into their warehouse in Korea first, and then they will be the ones to ship the items to your local address. As proven by regular K-store buyers, this is a more affordable process. Especially, if you are buying multiple items from different stores. They can consolidate all the items in one shipment. So, how do you use this service through DELIVERED KOREA?
Step 1
First, you must purchase your items from an online K-store. Make sure that you follow all the steps in the checkout process. Take note of the order details like the store name and detailed description of the item(s). Then, you can pay through your local credit and debit card (DBS, OCBC, etc.), or PayPal.
Important: You should fill out the Korean address that DELIVERED will provide for you, so the seller can ship your item domestically in Korea first.
Step 2
Log in to DELIVERED’s website.
Then you should go to “My Page” where you can see this view and choose the “YOU BUY ORDERS” option.
Step 3
Next is, fill up the “My Incoming Package Form” with the details that you gathered from your order. If you skip this step, DELIVERED will have to charge you $5. Click “Submit” and follow the rest of the checkout process, including the choice of carrier and payment of shipping fee on the website.
Step 4
After checking out at DELIVERED, you can finally wait for your package to arrive in Singapore.
We Buy and Ship
We buy and Ship includes package forwarding of your items, but it also offers personal shopping services. This is very useful if you have zero to little experience in buying in Korean apps and online stores. Or, if you just simply want to have a more convenient buying experience. Because in this type of service, DELIVERED will provide a personal shopper that will purchase the items on your behalf. You just have to get the link or URL of the item(s) you want to buy, and they will take care of the rest of the process.
After getting the link or URL of your chosen product, you have to go back to DELIVERED’s website and choose the option “WE BUY ORDERS” where you have to fill out the “NEW ORDER FORM”.
Make sure that you have the correct details of your items to avoid misunderstandings and wrong orders. Click “Submit” and follow the rest of the checkout process and steps similar to the You Buy, We Ship service.
Sign up & Receive 2 DK Points
Shipping Fees and Payment Options
For the main services, there is a shipping fee depending on the distance of the country from Korea and the weight and size of the parcel. You can check out our shipping calculator here. To give you an idea, here is an example of shipping fee estimate of 5kg package that will be shipped to Singapore:
DELIVERED KOREA has other services that you can add on top of the You Buy We Ship and We Buy and Ship services like parcel consolidation, storage, repackaging, and more. More information on service pricing can be viewed here.
As for the payment options, you can pay through Singapore’s local credit and debit cards, or through PayPal. These are the easiest ways to pay for DELIVERED’s services. You can check out more details here.