These days in Korea, more and more people are enjoying visiting cute lifestyle and stationery shops (called “So-Poom shops” in Korea). From charming stationery and journaling supplies to aesthetic home décor items, these shops offer so many things to see in one place that you can easily lose track of time while browsing.
In neighborhoods like Hongdae, Seongsu, and Yeonnam, there are clusters of uniquely curated shops, making it fun to go on a “shop tour” as a hobby in itself. Since the pandemic, with more time spent at home, interest in journaling, decorating planners, and other hobbies has grown—contributing to this trend. Now, these shops are no longer just places to buy things, but have become cultural spaces where people can discover and enjoy their personal tastes.
Today, I visited “MadeBy – Yeonnam,” a large lifestyle and stationery shop located in Yeonnam-dong. MadeBy operates five stores across Korea, attracting over 3.5 million visitors annually and carrying more than 50,000 products—making it one of the largest shops of its kind in the country. In particular, the Yeonnam location is the biggest, spanning from the basement level to the 5th floor. Today, I’ll be taking a closer look at every corner of this impressive space.
Instead of climbing all the stairs from the bottom (which honestly sounded exhausting haha), I took the elevator straight up to the top floor—the 5th floor. The inside of the elevator was uniquely designed, almost like a portal to another world, which made the ride feel a little exciting from the start. Right next to the elevator, there was also a small table where visitors could continue a stamp rally as a fun keepsake.
5th floor! This floor was filled with beautifully displayed stationery items from various brands, including stickers, washi tape, memo pads, and more. There was also a small pop-up featuring the brand hinaku_u, where you could browse their products and even leave a note in a guestbook. In the center, there was a special event where visitors could take free photos and have them printed on the spot, which made the whole experience feel even more memorable.
The 4th floor featured a variety of living and tableware items. From candles and incense to plushies, T-shirts, rugs, tote bags, mugs, pouches, and even fabric diaries… it was packed with so many cute and aesthetic pieces that I couldn’t stop looking around.
The 3rd floor focused on DIY custom items. There were so many different keyring parts and chains to choose from, allowing you to mix and match and create your own unique keyring. On one side, there was also a wide selection of patches (wappen patches).
But the most memorable part of MadeBy Yeonnam?You can actually create your own custom DIY diary. You can start by choosing your preferred notebook type—grid, lined, or blank—along with the size, and then pick from a variety of cover designs to create a one-of-a-kind diary. The idea of making a diary that holds your daily moments and emotions felt so special. I found it incredibly charming, and it definitely made me want to come back again and try it for myself next time.
On one side, there were products from well-known Korean washi tape brands like Boki and rolledpaint, along with a pop-up featuring Lucky Mansion.
The 2nd floor was mainly filled with posters and stationery items. You could choose a design you liked and have it printed in your preferred size, which made it perfect for decorating your space just the way you want. Among all the stationery, a globe-shaped MagSafe phone grip really caught my eye—it was just too cute! There were also a variety of brands like Sukidoki and Snip Snip, each with their own unique illustration styles and aesthetics.
On the 1st floor, there was the checkout counter, along with a wall completely covered in postcards. Just looking at them made me feel like I was traveling somewhere new. There was also a section displaying keyrings and hair accessories.
The basement floor was also packed with stickers, washi tape, and various stationery items from different brands. What stood out the most to me, though, were the keyrings. From four-leaf clover beaded keyrings to pastel drawing–style acrylic designs, and even ones where you can insert photos of your favorite K-pop idols—every single one felt special and exciting to look at.
MadeBy Yeonnam carries over 300 brands in total, which is honestly amazing. If you love cute, aesthetic items and stationery, I highly recommend checking out a Korean lifestyle shop at least once. You might just come across unexpected little moments of joy and beauty.I’ll be back with another shop tour soon!Thanks so much for reading all the way to the end :)
