With K-pop, K-drama, and K-culture being oh-so-popular nowadays, many people are clamoring for authentic Korean gifts! But traditional Korean gifts aren’t always easy to find.
We’ve done the heavy lifting for you and found some wonderful Korean products for you to consider. The traditional Korean gifts on this list embody the unique Korean spirit that will make your gift extra special. In addition to the actual gift, you can also get beautiful authentic Korean bojagi cloths to wrap them. Your friends and family will be delighted and curious to learn more.
Here are 32 awesome choices for Korean gifts from premium Korean green tea to high-end electronics that span the spectrum of pricing to fit everyone’s wish list!
1. Korean Traditional Dress Mini Hanbok norigae Keychain Ornament, $12+
This cute miniature hanbok decoration is made of the same fabric that is used to make real hanbok. The item can be used in the following ways: as a keychain decoration, a Christmas ornament, or an ornament in front of a car. This adorable accessory will be admired for its off the charts cuteness.
2. Mother of Pearl Small Jewelry Box, $40+
Jagae is the mother of pearl (the shells of the abalone, mollusk, or clam) that Korean artisans have used to inlay the top of lacquered objects and to make high-quality furniture and household objects since the 6th century. Only royalty, noblemen/women, and the extremely wealthy could afford elegant jagae furniture and household items back in the day since the techniques were very difficult, delicate, and labor-intensive to make. Jagae items were especially popular with Korean noblewomen because of their exclusively gorgeous accents on jewelry boxes, hairpins, the back of mirrors, and vanity tables.
This jagae small jewelry box will make a great traditional Korean gift since it’s not just practical but holds craftsmanship and cultural heritage. A great gift for your BFF as well as your mom.
3. Anchovy powder Soup Coin Broth Stocks (60 TABLETS), $23
This anchovy coin for Korean Doenjang Jjigae will satisfy your taste buds with a flavor that is rich, deep, and savory. You will feel like a veteran Korean cook with the least amount of effort to make the delicious Doenjang Jjigae. This is a perfect gift to those who love to cook, especially Korean soup dishes.
4. , $50
‘Stunning and comprehensive.’ – Vogue
‘Nothing short of miraculous. A paradigm-shifting achievement comparable to Larousse Gastronomique.’ – Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko
This is the gift of the year for anyone who loves Korean cooking. Authored by Junghyun (JP) Park, the renowned chef and owner of 2 Michelin star Atomix, this groundbreaking book isn’t called “The” Korean Cookbook for nothing! 350 authentic and delicious Korean recipes for the home cook, written by the perfect guide to this extraordinary cuisine.
JP along with his wife, Ellia Park, run four restaurants in New York – Atoboy, Naro, Seoul Salon, and Atomix. In 2022, Atomix received the Art of Hospitality Award from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and achieved No. 8 in World 50 Best 2023, the top restaurant in North America. In 2023, Park won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York State.
5. SAMSIDAE Korean Bellflower Root Extract, Pear and Quince (10g X 30 Stick Pouches), $30
This Bellflower Hydrolysis Fermented Extract from Korea contains a higher rate of absorbing bellflower saponin which is rich in dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, folate, magnesium, antioxidants, minerals, calcium, and iron. This is a wonderful gift to people who have sore throats often, who speak for long periods, and kids who enjoy the taste of ingredients such as pears, quince, and bellflower.
6. YutNoRi, $23
The most popular Korean traditional board game that has continued for 5,000 years: YUTNORI was played as early as the Three Kingdoms (57 BCE – 668 CE), even though the origins of this popular family game are unclear. YUTNORI is one of the games that often appear in traditional Korean folk paintings. It is one of the games played in villages, homes, and schools, anywhere where people gather for a long time. Nowadays, Koreans play this on Korean New Year’s Day (설날, Seollal) and Korean Thanksgiving Day (추석, Chuseok)! This is the ultimate Korean traditional gift to your friends!
Here is the YouTube for the history and rules of YuNori.
7. Gong Gi Korean Jacks Jack Stone Game 15 pieces, $9
This is another ultimate Korean traditional gift. This is the play that has been played by Korean children for many centuries. This game is played with 5 little pebbles and you can play alone or with other people.
Here is the YouTube for how to play GongGi.
8. Set of 5 Korean Coasters with Traditional Bojagi Design, $19
KOREA TRADITIONAL DESIGN – This coaster set, made of ramie, is made of a luxurious material and is especially popular with Koreans. Pictured above is a set of five unique color combinations.
9. OSULLOC Premium Tea Bag Gift Set, 40 Count , $40
Osulloc was founded in 1979 on Jeju Island and since then, they have been producing the highest quality teas in Korea, and possibly the world. They are best known for Jeju pure green tea and your friends will definitely love this flavor. In addition, there are two more options that are also uniquely from Jeju Island and you will experience Jeju with each sip of those teas.
10. Wangshin Gift Set – Smoked Fish Sauce (10oz) + Fish Sauce (10oz) + Smoked Soy Sauce (10oz), $60
Each bottle takes 2~3 years to make. The highest quality ingredients are put into traditional Korean clay pots and naturally fermented to produce rich deep flavor over time. Wangshin patiently harvests one drop a day for excellence. The perfect condiment for cooking any meal. Use it in any dishes from Asian to classic American. It pairs excellently with stirred vegetables, pastas, and even alone as a dipping sauce. These three things are among the foundational building blocks for Korean cuisine and the perfect essential gift to your friends who you want to introduce to the wonder of Korean cooking.
11. Korean Premium Traditional Handmade Tableware, $384
Another gift idea for your parents or anyone who enjoys cooking Korean food at home is a traditional brassware dining set. Its pricetag may come with a little sticker-shock but this premium brass set of plates, bowls, and utensils will upgrade your dinner settings to emulate tableware for the royal families of Korean dynasties in the past.
12. CheongKwanJang [Hong Sam Won, Korean Red Ginseng] – 50ml per Pouch (20 Pouches), $22 (As seen in Korean Dramas!)
Korean ginseng is an herb that has been uniquely cultivated by Korean people for over 4000 years and is considered to be among the most sought-out by those wanting to look and feel their best. It has so many health benefits such as boosting the immune system, giving energy, increasing mental alertness, promoting blood circulation and list goes on.
CheongKwanJang is the most renowned Korean red ginseng manufacturer globally and has been producing the best red ginseng products since 1899. Hong Sam Won is their red ginseng drink product with cinnamon, ginger, and jujube fruit extract. It is the perfect introduction to the Korean well-being lifestyle for your friends who want an energy boost daily and a better immune system.
13. Personalized Korean Alphabet Necklace, $28+
These personalized Korean alphabet necklaces will make lovely Korean gifts to your mother, girlfriends, daughters, nieces, or coworkers, basically to everyone you know. These customized necklaces will have their names in Korean letters which will be distinctive and special to each of them. These made-to-order necklaces are available in 18k gold plated, silver, rose gold plated, and white gold plated with 5 different chain lengths in 14″, 16″, 18″, 20″, and 22″.
14. Korean Traditional Sea Turtle Designed Chopsticks and Spoon Set, $45+
This chopsticks and spoon set is so graceful, with sea turtle patterns, that your friends will fall in love with them! They are made of stainless steel and are available in gold and silver tones.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Korea is the only country that uses metal chopsticks and spoons? Other Asian countries use either wooden or plastic chopsticks and spoons. Also, Korean chopsticks are a very thin rectangle shape and harder to use than others. So Koreans believe that they are very dexterous and coordinated with their hands and fingers, all thanks to Korean chopsticks!
15. Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet 10pcs Original Korean Mask Sheet, $13
You know that Korean facial masks are the best; so they become perfect holiday stock stuffers or small gifts all year long. Nature Repulic is one of the foremost Korean beauty brands in the world and it is known for its natural facial masks! This pack has 10 mask sheets and the price is so reasonable that you will find yourself buying multiple packs for your friends.
16. Korean Traditional Simple Bronze Shot Glasses Heavy Weight Perfect for Gift, 4 Cups, $96
These exquisitely-made bronze soju glasses set are the ideal Korean gift since Koreans, and those who appreciate K culture are sentimental people, especially, when they drink. You and your friend will find yourselves waxing nostalgic when you drink soju from those glasses together.
17. Premium Floral Double-Sided Bojagi in Red & Smoke Blue, $21+
This beautiful floral double-sided fabric is great for wrapping a gift when you really want to make an unforgettable impression. There are four different sizes and you can buy multiple units as needed. But be warned that these elegant wraps could steal some thunder from whatever’s inside!
18. Daeng Gi Meo Ri Ki Gold Premium Special Hair Care Set, $98
Who doesn’t love Korean Daenggi Meori’s phenomenal shampoo? Here is the perfect Daenggi Meori Shampoo Set for the holidays! Below are just a few of the great benefits of Daenggi Meori haircare.
- Infused with naturally derived pure and raw ingredients including ginseng
- No artificial color and cares for the scalp
- Promotes Hair Growth
- Nourishment to dry hair
- Made in South Korea
19. Hangul Korean Personal Name Seal, $50
This Korean name chop can be customized in Korean, English, or Chinese. Featuring a lovely natural tan wood with a brass stamp face and an ornate tassel, this unique seal will delight any recipient on your gift list who longs for a more formal, traditional time while navigating a modern frenetic world.
20. Jagae, Mother of Pearl, Korean Traditional Vanity box with Mirror, $138
Jagae is the mother of pearl (the shells of the abalone, mollusk, or the clam) that Korean artisans have used to inlay the top of lacquered objects and to make high-quality furniture and household objects since the 6th century. Only royalty, noblemen/women, and the extremely wealthy could afford elegant jagae furniture and household items back in the days since the techniques were very difficult, delicate, and labor-intensive to make. Jagae items were especially popular with Korean noblewomen because of their exclusively gorgeous accent on jewelry boxes, hairpins, the back of mirrors, and vanity tables.
This jagae vanity box with a mirror replicates what Korean noblewomen used since the Joseon Dynasty. This will make a great traditional Korean gift since it’s not just practical but holds craftsmanship and cultural heritage.
21. Mother of Pearl Lacquered Jewelry Box Crane Red, $40
This exquisite mother-of-pearl organizer box is an excellent piece of art that also functions as a useful way to organize jewelry or makeup. This box is gracefully decorated using an ancient Korean artistic technique to add a royal touch to the everyday.
22. 2 Korean Silver Ring, $220
These handcrafted silver twin rings have been favored by Korean noble ladies for centuries and whoever you gift these to will marvel at their timeless beauty!
23. Seoulbox Signature One Time, $40 + 10% Off
The Seoulbox “One Time” is a marvelous introduction to your friends who want to try various Korean snacks. This delightful box will give your friends so many Korean snacks and goodies, along with various K-Pop and K-Beauty items sprinkled in, that they may resent you for whetting a newfound, insatiable appetite for all things Korean! Seoulbox also has other options that you can subscribe to and receive this goodness monthly!
You will get 10% off on an order from the link below or all orders sitewide since you are a Best of Korea reader. Please use the code “BEST10” when you check out!
24. HealthyLine Far Infrared Heating Pad with Natural Jade and Tourmaline Stones, $280 – $2000
This heating pad is a thoughtful gift to your family and friends who have chronic muscle and joint pain, and need relief. The pad contains 154 pieces of jade and tourmaline which will help your friends with blood circulation, and it will help the body ache with its infrared ray. On top of these benefits, it also emits negative ions, known to improve lung function for more efficient breathing. Your family or friends will be forever grateful to you when they lay on the pad after muscle pain, a vigorous workout session, a long day of skiing, or simply on a cold night.
25. Handmade Korean Celadon Sake Set for 5 – Crane and Cloud (with Gift Box), Pitcher & Cups, $98
Korean Celadon, also known as Koryo Celadon, is the ceramic greenware that was developed in the late 9th century and Koreans produced the greenware actively during Koryo Dynasty (918-1392 AD). At first, Koryo Celadon was influenced by China but it became very distinct from Chinese Celadon. The biggest difference between Korean and Chinese Celadons is that Korean Celadon is a more grayish green-blue tone than the Chinese version, which is more jade in tone. Also, Koryo Celadon’s very delicate crack pattern all over the ware is what makes Koryo Celadon so special and elegant.
This Korean Celadon Sake Set is so intricate with Crane and Cloud patterns that your friends will be dazzled. Cranes are sacred creatures that represents longevity, health, gracefulness, and success in Korean culture. Clouds represent harmony and prosperity in Korean culture. Therefore, this gift is an ideal present for friends or family to wish them longevity, health, success, and prosperity!
26. The Face Shop The Gentle for Men Anti-Aging Skincare Gift Set | Skin Firming & Smoothing | Elasticity Restore & Skin Rejuvenate, $70
The Face Shop complete skin care set from Korea is the perfect gift to surprise your husband, boyfriend, dad or friend and encourage them to take better care of their skin!
27. DONGINBI Red Ginseng Korean Skin Care Set, $130
Donginbi is the premium Korean Red Ginseng beauty brand that shares the same parent company (Korean Ginseng Corp) with CheongKwanJang. Its main ingredient is Korean red ginseng. Like I mentioned above, Korean red ginseng is great for its anti-aging effect. This is a fantastic product if you want more affordable skincare than Sulwhasoo but still reap the benefits. Your friends will love you for them!
28. SNP PREP – Peptaronic Complete Korean Skin Care Set, $49
SNP is a Korean beauty company that dedicates itself to making the top quality skin care products and it is well known for that. “S” stands for science, “N” stands for nature and “P” stans for purity. As you can see from what its name stands for, its goal is to provide skincare to the consumers with skin experts’ consistent research and development, and natural and pure ingredients.
SNP has several brands within and SNP PREP is one of them. Its main ingredients are hyaluronic acid with peptides, cica, and vitamins. These will make your skin maintain moisture and regenerate, also great for anti-aging. This would be one of the best gifts to your daughters, friends, wife, and mother to try out excellent Korean skincare.
29. Artestia Raclette Table Grill,1200W Electric Indoor Korean BBQ Grill, $96
This electric grill pan is the one that will make it possible for you to enjoy yummy Korean BBQ at your home! It comes with a non-stick grill pan, cooking stone, and 8 small individual cooking pans that you can melt cheese or cook anything small in. Your friends who will receive this as a gift will be so thankful that you should prepare yourself to become a permanent member of their dinner party guestlist.
30. Korean Hanbok Card – Korean Traditional Clothes Shape Special Card, $4+
These Korean Hanbook cards are just too pretty! These cards will make your Korean gifts extra special when your friends open them. Share your love for Korean culture with these cards this holiday season!
31. d’Alba White Truffle Mist Spray Serum, $39
This mist is one of the most popular mist serums in Korea. It first got famous by getting the nickname “the flight attendants’ mist.” Korean flight attendants have a reputation for being fashionable and using the best beauty products so whatever they use becomes a sensation in Korea. They have been powerful influencers even before Instagram was created. Flight attendants swear by its hydration power and who can testify better than them? Their work environment, inside of planes, is one of the driest places outside of a desert community. You should get in on this insider secret before becomes the next impossible-to-find-in-stock K-Beauty essential.
32. Korean Drama Gifts for Women Makeup Bag, $10
This K-drama makeup bag printed “The Only Drama I Need In My Life Is Korean” is a cute gift for Korean drama lovers!
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