Do not go to Emart!!! Okay, you can go. But don’t say I didn’t warn you!

I have a very important public service announcement for you related to my favorite superstore in South Korea, Emart. To put it simply, regardless of how much you want to go to Emart, please do not go. Let’s take a look at the top 7 reasons why you should avoid Emart like the plague.

Reason #1 — Once you go in, you can never leave.

Emart is well-known for its convenience. You can find an Emart almost ever 37 meters or so, and they are open almost all the time except for the 2 Sundays every month when you really need to go but the government forces them to close.

Actually, there have been so many times that my wife and I want to quickly drop into Emart just to buy something simple like some fruit, and then 3 hours and 200000 won later we are just getting to the checkout. It is amazing how effective their placement of items is how good they are at getting you to buy things you never thought you needed. And each aisle seems to have its own Emart ajumma clone trying to seduce you into making a purchase.

Reason #2 — Irresistible Samples

Undoubtedly, one of my favorite things about Emart is going to the food section and trying out all the samples. Everything is so delicious but I always end up feeling a little guilty afterward…. Especially when I don’t have any intention of buying that particular product.

Reason #3 — Overcrowded

Trying to get around Emart at busy times can be quite challenging. You have to squeeze your way around people who block the aisles with their shopping carts. Same thing with the food court. Now don’t get me wrong… I am a big fan of their food court. The food is usually pretty good and not too expensive but trying to get a seat there is another story altogether. I usually have to stand next to a table of people eating and then after 5 minutes of staring at them to make them feel uncomfortable, they finally are forced to leave. The problem is that precisely that second, I look in a different direction and someone else jumps in and takes the table.

Reason #4 — Strange Customers

Emart has done a great job of making people at Emart really feel comfortable when they visit. However, some people seem to overdo it though when they are making themselves at home… I have seen people sleeping in the big cushy chairs, doing full exercise routines in the fitness area, and fighting for the remote control in the electronics department. Of course, I was one of those people but still…

Reason #5 — Overly Friendly Employees

In general, the service at Emart is terrific… But why is it that every time I go to the bathroom there, it is suddenly time for the ajumma to clean the toilets? I mean, they are very friendly but I find it difficult to carry on a conversation with someone while I am having a pee.

Reason #6 — Silly Special Events

I remember about 6 months ago they had this special event where you could take home as many bags of chips as you pick up in one minute for 20000 won. Well, my wife decided that she would try to get the world record. So now we still have about 82 bags of Crown Chips out on our veranda. If anyone is interested, please let me know.

Reason #7 — Parking War Zone

Finally, parking at Emart can be a nightmare. There is always a message saying that each floor is full, so you have to around and around all the way up to the roof which is also full… Then after you finish shopping someone is always parked directly in front of you so you cannot leave. Some people figure that if they leave their car in neutral then everything is okay, but it doesn’t seem to be much help since there is no room to move the cars anyways.

Anyways, that’s all for now from the land of the morning calm. I would love to hear about your experiences at some of the big supermarket chains so please leave a comment below.