Where To Shop For Authentic Korean Groceries in Singapore
Get your hands on kimchi, gochujang and fresh produce for a Korean-inspired meal at home
Has watching all those Korean dramas made you crave Korean food? We feel you. While there are plenty of delicious restaurant options out there, why not recreate your own piping hot bowl of sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew), comforting naengmyeon (cold noodles) or even DIY a hearty Korean barbeque at home?
For starters, you'll need to get your hands on authentic Korean ingredients. To help you out, we've listed down seven places where they import ingredients directly from South Korea, from frozen meats to fresh fruits and vegetables. Most are available online too!
Shine Korea is probably the biggest Korean supermarket chain in Singapore, with 11 outlets around the island. They have quite a few outlets downtown and in the CBD area, with a several heartland stores in Tampines, Harbourfront and Woodlands.
Shine Korea claims to sell “authentic Korean products at the best price”, which sounds about right. Their prices are quite competitive, and they do have a huge variety. They sell everything from packet ramyeon, tidbits, condiments and beverages.
The famous samyang fire noodles are $6.90 for a pack of five, and you can find lots of Korean chips and crackers for under $2 per pack.
If you can’t swing by any of the physical outlets, you can also shop online either directly at their website. There’s free delivery for orders above $80, and you will get your groceries within five days.
There are a lot of people who visit Korean supermarkets just to feel Korean. That’s right – no shopping lists, no agenda. Just there to comb the shelves and soak in the atmosphere. If that’s the experience you’re looking for, give Koryo Mart a shot. It seems to be targeted at Korean expats living in Singapore – even their website is mostly in Korean. Koryo has eight branches, some of which go by the name “K-Market”.
Here you can stock up on kimchi, ramen noodles, topokki, seaweed, soups, sauces and marinades, as well as a range of frozen meats including pork belly (samgyeobsal) and short rib bone (LA galbi) for your DIY Korean BBQ.
While Koryo Mart is one of the cheaper Korean supermarkets, in general, the prices don’t vary by that much across the chains. If you have one near you, great. If not, don’t bother – you’ll probably save only five to 10 per cent. Delivery is free with a $70 minimum order, though!
They are also on Qoo10.
You can now pick up seasonal fruits and veggies at 18 FairPrice Finest and Fairprice Xtra outlets (see outlet listing here). These outlets have designated "K-fresh" zones for premium seasonal Korean produce that are freshly imported from Korea, such as perilla leaves, ssam cabbage, incubator pumpkins, chestnut sweet potatoes, muscat grapes and Hallabong mandarins.
As the produce is seasonal, you can consider calling ahead to find out what's available before heading down.