Dongdaemun Squishy Toys Guide: Where to Find Dongdaemun Squishies in Seoul

Dongdaemun squishy toys have become a clear reason to visit Seoul’s Changsin-dong toy street, especially for shoppers looking for inexpensive tactile toys they can press, stretch, and compare in person. For anyone searching for Dongdaemun Squishies, the most useful starting point is the officially listed Dongdaemun Stationery and Toy Wholesale Market, located in the Dongdaemun toy market area of Jongno-gu.¹

Dongdaemun Squishy Toys: What to Look For

The Korean term often used in the reports is malang-i, a broad name for soft tactile toys. Sisaweek described malang-i as toys that can be stretched and kneaded, with some types also called squishies or stress balls.² Newsis reported that shops displayed different textures, including items that slowly return to shape after being pressed and others with a stickier feel, while shoppers compared products by touching them directly.³

That hands-on comparison is the core of the shopping experience. These are not items that can be judged only by color, packaging, or character design. The appeal is in the pressure, softness, rebound, and texture, which explains why many visitors check the feel at the stall before deciding what to buy.

The product shapes are also part of the draw. Womennews reported that stalls carried tactile toys shaped like bread, tofu, fruit, pork belly, and soap, along with related soft toys such as slang-i and wakppu balls. The same report described many items as priced around 2,000 to 3,000 won.⁴ Sisaweek also reported that, at Dongdaemun toy street shops, most malang-i items were in the 2,000 to 3,000 won range.²

Reports from 2026 also show that this is not only a children’s toy trend. The Korea Economic Daily reported that Dongdaemun toy street’s customer base has expanded from children and group buyers to women in their 20s and 30s, helped by social media interest in bolkku, or pen decorating, and malang-i.⁵ Segye Ilbo similarly described Changsin-dong’s stationery and toy market as drawing visitors in their 20s and 30s after becoming known on social media as a malang-i destination.⁶

A short quote captures how the market is being discussed by shoppers. In The Korea Economic Daily, two visitors said, “Dongdaemun? We think of bolkku and malang-i first.”⁵ The comment matters because it shows how the area is being framed by some younger visitors: not only as a traditional wholesale toy street, but as a stop for small, tactile, social-media-driven goods.

Where to Go Before You Shop

The official destination name to use is Dongdaemun Stationery and Toy Wholesale Market. Jongno District Office introduces it as Dongdaemun toy shopping street, also known around Changsin-dong toy street, within the Jongno Cheonggye Tourism Special Zone. The listed address is 36 Jong-ro 52-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul.¹

The most important planning point is the closing schedule. The official district guide lists Sundays and public holidays as closed days, so a Sunday visit is not supported by the official information.¹ If a public holiday falls during a Seoul trip, it is better to treat the toy street as unavailable unless a specific shop confirms otherwise.

Subway access is straightforward. The official guide points visitors to Dongdaemun Station Exit 4 on Line 1 or Dongmyo Station Exit 6 on Line 6.¹ For English-speaking visitors, searching the official market name or the address may be clearer than searching only for “squishy toys,” because the squishy shops are part of the broader stationery and toy wholesale area.

How to Buy Dongdaemun Squishies Wisely

The available source material does not provide a full shop-by-shop directory, individual business hours, or a confirmed inventory list. What it does show is that shoppers should expect variety by texture and shape, and should compare products in person. Reports describe people pressing, squeezing, and checking how the toys feel before buying, which is a practical approach for this category.³

For budgeting, the most conservative expectation is to treat 2,000 to 3,000 won as a commonly reported range for many malang-i items, not as a guaranteed fixed price for every product. Womennews and Sisaweek both reported prices in that range, but neither source states that every shop or every toy is priced identically.⁴²

Because the trend has been linked to social media attention, shoppers may also see signs highlighting popular items. The Korea Economic Daily reported that some stalls displayed notices emphasizing products that had become a topic on social media.⁵ That can help identify what is currently being promoted, but the better buying method is still tactile: pick up the item, compare the softness, and choose the texture that suits the purpose.

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Cloi Lee

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