Buy luggage in Seoul
 

Back in 1990 or so, it used to be very cheap indeed to buy duffel bags and other luggage in Itaewon in Seoul.

Is this still the case?

There is luggage in Itaewon still, yes. As far as the price, I can't say. But, personally, I don't trust any of the cheap touristy shops in Itaewon. They're a dying, predatory breed. No one ever shops there anymore, so the stuff just sits. You'd be better off looking for luggage in Myeongdong these days, I feel.

That's too bad. I got a good duffel bag there in the late 80s or early 90s. It held up well. I am planning to go to Korea with no checked bags, buy a large bag there, check it on my flight to Prague and then use it to bring stuff from Prague to Nevada.

Bags are expensive in Prague and I really don't want to haul an empty one from Reno all the way around the world to Prague.

Itaewon, now, is a very trendy neighborhood for Koreans, with things like souvenir stands on the street and dumpy luggage and suit stores really just getting in the way. Even in the three years I've been here, it's changed rapidly.

That being said, of course, you can still look. But, you just might not be as lucky as you were then.

I've shopped at those luggage shops in Itaewon. Bought a backpack there years ago and it still works today. Nothing has broken off of it. I wouldn't hesitate to go there if I was looking for a general purpose bag.

Personally I don't think there is much difference between a bag bought in Itaewon compared to one purchased in Myeongdong.

I mean that the quality is probably the same, but in Myeongdong, people actually go to these shops and there's traffic to keep the goods flowing. Itaewon luggage stores seem kind of sad and stale.