The Best Places To Get A Piece Of Kpop In New York City

You don’t have to speak the language to love Kpop – or the mania-inducing idols who embody it. Originated in the early 90s, this distinctive music genre from South Korea gained many followers all around the globe. Participate in your favorite South Korean trends right here in the the city by purchasing albums, stationery, and beauty products from the best places to get a piece of Kpop in New York City.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Koryo Bookstore

Koreaboos come from all over to Koryo Bookstore, the city’s best place to snag the latest Kpop merch imported straight from South Korea. Not only will you find the newest releases from artists such as BTS, EXO, and Girls’ Generation, but you can leave here with everything from pins to nail stickers to calendars featuring your favorite Kpop idols.

Surprisingly, it’s BTS fanatics, not tourists, who crowd Times Square’s Line Friends Store. Kpop collectors won’t want to pass up RJ, Cooky, and the other characters from the Korean company’s BT21 line, a collaboration with BTS members. Every BT21 purchase (choose from stuffed animals, sweatshirts, pens, and more) also comes with a free poster featuring the BTS-created character of your choice.

Book-Off

While you may not find the latest Kpop releases at this unlikely Japanese superstore in Midtown, you’re sure to walk away with a hard-to-find older album. Rain, Hey! Say! JUMP, and coveted early albums from the now-disbanded 2AM are some of the treasures you may unearth at Book-Off.

Morning Glory

The everyday products at Morning Glory are anything but commonplace. Here, stationary, pens and pencils, and even toiletries like band-aids and toothbrushes feature the cute characters and designs Korean products are known for. For dedicated Koreaboos, this is what necessities look like.

The Mask Bar

Get in on one of South Korea’s biggest beauty trends at this skincare store dedicated to face masks. The Mask Bar is the perfect place to try the hard-to-find snail gel, collagen, and animal masks your favorite K-Beauty bloggers swear by. For the uninitiated, the store’s recognizable brands such as Tony Moly and Dr Jart+ make for a beautiful introduction.

Besfren Beauty

Inspired by the Korean fantasy “Moon Rabbit,” Besfren Beauty invites you to “hop into a K-Beauty fairy tale.” The sister store to Koreatown’s popular dessert café Besfren, this boutique is certainly magical, thanks to features including a “Wall of Masks” and a “Fairy Washing Stand.” Like any magical land, Besfren Beauty hosts a unique cast, including carbonated clay masks, escargot creams, and egg white pore foam.

oo35mm

Cult Asian beauty followers tout the stock at oo35mm as the best in New York City. Beauty world-famous brands, including Innisfree, Missha, and Skin Food, earn this packed boutique a loyal following, who return regularly to oo35mm for imported skincare, makeup, and beauty tools.

Aladdin Books

Cost-conscious fans favor this Flushing shop for its affordable albums and posters. While the types of items offered at Aladdin Books are limited, the store’s scope is not: Twice, GOT7, BTS, Big Bang, and Girls’ Generation are just a sampling of the artists represented here. Tip: if the album you’re after isn’t in stock, Aladdin Books will even order it for you and let you know when it’s time to pick it up!

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.