However, that is not the only thing they are shopping for. Hot products now include Korean fashions, accessories, drinks, foods, electronics and travel. With so much available to buy, see and do, there's no better time to enjoy all that this Korean invasion has to offer.

Entertainment (Dramas, Music and Movies)

Travel and Tourism

Cuisine

Fashion

Technology Products and Online Games

Cartoon Characters

Korean Street

In addition, Korean music and artists have been invading the Taiwanese market. For example, fans of "Firework" and "Endless Love" are sure to purchase the original soundtracks of these dramas. Before the start of the island's infatuaton with Korea, artists from Hong Kong and Taiwan often featured translated versions of Korean songs on their albums. These artists include Tarcy Su, Jacky Cheung and, most recently, Winnie Hsin with a Korean drama theme song. This has been followed by the invasion of Korean artists and groups Clon, S.E.S, H.O.T, Diva, ShinHwa, and Fly to the Sky. Electronica is very popular in Korea and, thus, makes up most of the pop music in that country. It has also won a large following among young people in Taiwan, as evidenced by the large sections devoted to Korean music in many CD stores.

Korean movies are not as popular in Taiwan as Korean TV dramas. However, Korean movie-goers support locally-made movies, which makes Korea unique among Hollywood-loving Asian countries. One Korean movie, "Friends" was shown in Taiwan. Although it did not sell many tickets here, it received critical acclaim and achieved good box office success in both Korea and Hong Kong.

Fueling this craze, Taiwanese TV stations have been adding Korean entertainment news and programming dedicated to Korea to their line-ups. These include GTV's "Late Night Entertainment News" and OnTV's "K-POP".

One place to buy Korean celebrity merchandise is Han Liu Feng (21, HanZhong [HanChung] St.; tel. 02-2375-5200; open 12:30 pm-10 pm) in Hsimenting. Tiny, with only 18 square feet, it contains a full-range of Korean celebrity merchandise. Its most popular items are those related to the drama "Endless Love", including the original soundtrack, VCDs, photos, calendars and theme song music sheets. Of interest are coffee cups with images of the actors and actresses from the show. These are brought back from Korea by the owner, a Korean-born Chinese. There are also novelty items featuring the leading actors from two other Korean programs--"Hotelier" and "Beautiful Day", which usually fly off the shelves. The owner takes special orders for celebrity-related souvenirs, usually bringing them back from Korea himself.(TOP)

In the winter, Koreans not only eat spicy food to ward off chills, but also a number of hot dishes, such as barbecue, mala (spicy) hot pot, kimchee hot pot and ginseng and chicken soup. In addition, "seafood cakes" are a very common dish that most Korean women prepare for their family. It is made from vegetables and seafood, the exact contents depending on what is available. Kelp soup is thought to be a very nourishing dish and, in Korea, women drink this soup after childbirth as a restorative. It is also customary to drink a bowl of kelp soup on one's birthday.

Koreans attach great importance to health foods, such as restoratives and herbal recipes, especially when the weather turns cold. Favorites include jujube (Chinese date) tea, pomelo tea and ginger tea. Korean ginseng is well known the world over and there are a number of products in Taiwan that feature this herb.

Buying Korean Ingredients and Experiencing Korean Cuisine:
Korean food is one of the most popular foreign cuisine in Taiwan. Most department store and shopping mall food courts feature at least one Korean food outlet. There are also a number of Korean restaurants throughout Taipei. Along XiNing (HsiNing) South Road in Hsimenting, there is a concentration of veteran restaurants serving up authentic Korean fare at reasonable prices. (See this month's Restaurant Roundup for a sampling of the city's Korean restaurants.)

If you would like to make your own Korean food at home, there are a number of Korean grocery stores along Korean Street in Yung Ho. These stores sell a variety of ingredients and spices. Most of these stores are owned by Korean-born Chinese who are able to offer advice on Korean recipes.(TOP)

Korean fashions tend to be simple and unisex. Young women tend to prefer long skirts and straight-cut pants. Young males like a simple T-shirt or sweater with jeans or casual pants. In terms of color, Koreans tend to prefer solids such as black, white, khaki or brown. Korean fashions rarely feature bright colors or complicated designs. In general, Koreans are very concerned about their appearance and will follow fashion trends closely. Says Miss Wen, a Korean-born Chinese who works at a clothing store specializing in Korean fashions, Rookie-Bud: "When going out, it is important to be dressed up. So, when walking about you will see a number of women in business suits. They may not be professional working women, but they want to give that impression."

Where to Buy Korean Fashions and Accessories:
Zhong Xing (Chung Hsing) Street in Yung Ho is also known as "Korean Street". Here, it is possible to purchase Korean fashions at very reasonable prices. This street is perfect for winter shopping, as there are a number of imported Korean jackets and scarves to choose from. Most of the shoppers here tend to be middle-aged women. The younger crowd prefers Wufenpu in Sungshan, as the stores in Wufenpu import the latest fashions from Korea. There are often new arrivals and prices are very reasonable.

Those looking for a more professional look should check out Rookie-Bud in Hsimenting's Hsi Men Hsin Su. The clothes are from Seoul, Korea's fashion center. The looks here are simple, featuring stark contrasts such as black and white and tailored cuts. Expect to spend about NT$1,000 to NT$2,000 for each item.

Along a section of Hua Yin Street, behind the train station, are several Korean clothing and grocery stores. Although the selection here is not as large, you will definitely discovered some great bargains if you take the time to search each store carefully.(TOP)

Korean companies are also looking for new market niches, including a featured model for women that monitors the menstrual cycle, helping to keep track of the safe period for those relying on the rhythm method of birth control. This same model also keeps track of calorie intake, helping the user to stay on her diet. Many people in Taiwan are familiar with the LG brand. A new model, LG-600, has hit the market and includes never-before-seen features such as a double screen and folding case.

In addition, Internet cafes are all the rage in Korea, as Mayor Ma Ying-jeou discovered on a recent trip to that country. Many of Taiwan's most popular online games were created in Korea.(TOP)

Korean cartoon characters appear on a number of stationery and gift items, many of which can be found in the night markets of Hsimenting. Te Te Hsiao Pin Ji (2F, 177, ZhongXiao [ChungHsiao] East Rd., sec. 4; tel. 02-2773-6966; open 11 am-10 pm) specializes in stationery and gift items imported from Korea that feature some of Korea's best-known cartoon characters. With six branches in Taipei City, it is easy to stock up on cute cartoon merchandise.(TOP)

Most of the stores on Korean Street sell clothing. However, a few also feature Korean specialty products such as chilli peppers, chilli sauce, kimchee, ginseng and dried mushrooms. Most of the clothing stores sell fashions suited for older women, but there are a number of styles available and the prices are very reasonable. Most of the fashions geared toward the younger crowd are from Hong Kong and come in a large selection for reasonable prices. The only drawback is that most of the stores do not have fitting rooms for trying on clothes.

Korean Street also has several specialty food stores, such as Kin Yu (33, ZhongXing [ChungHsing] St., Yung Ho City, Taipei County; tel. 02-2923-6361), run by Miss Yu, a Korean-born Chinese, and her husband. This store sells a wide range of Korean products. The sheer variety creates the feeling of shopping in a small store in the heart of Seoul. There are a number of food items and drinks, not readily found in Taiwanese supermarkets, that are popular in Korea, including jujube (Chinese date) tea, ginger tea and pomelo tea. There are also Korean spices such as chilli sauce, chilli powder, soup base and ingredients for making kimchee. In addition, there are vacuum-packed foods that only require heating, such as ginseng and chicken soup and spicy chicken, as well as canned foods, noodles and glutinous rice cakes. Fans of Korean dramas should note that the owner stocks some of the food items and drinks seen on the shows.

Korean Street is also a popular place for buying blankets and quilts. Since Korea has a very cold climate, bedding is usually of high quality but low cost. For example, an electric blanket for a twin bed costs only about NT$800, while one for a double bed will not run more than NT$2,500.

Getting to Korean Street (ZhongXing (ChungHsing) Street):
MRT: Get off at Tinghsi Station (#1 exit)
Bus: Take Bus Number 5, 262, 297, 627, 304, 242, 706, 227, 238, 248, 214, 331, 624, 51 or 57 to the Tinghsi MRT station or to ZhongXing (ChungHsing) Street or
Bus No. 241, 214, 244, 51or 57 to WangHsi Elementary School.(TOP)