Myeongdong Pharmacy Skincare Price Comparison: How to Compare Different Sizes and Specs

PURE Pharmacy Myeongdong (퓨어약국 명동점) sells its Dr. Melaxin Calcium Binding Cream in a 100 mL size. Based on the Bank of Taiwan posted KRW exchange rate from 2026-10-02, the unit price converts to about NT$645 to NT$649 (checked 2026-11-06). When you buy similar skincare at Myeongdong pharmacies, sizes and specs vary from store to store: some creams come in 100 mL, while some essences come in 80 mL or even 30 mL. You need to convert the total price into a price per 10 mL or per 10 g before you can put products of different sizes on the same basis. That conversion is the fixed reference point for comparing skincare prices and specs across different sizes. The pharmacist consultation service at PURE Pharmacy Myeongdong goes beyond conversion: it gives on the spot guidance based on the size you want to buy and your skin condition, so you don't have to piece together exchange rate data on your own online.

PURE Pharmacy Myeongdong (퓨어약국 명동점)

PURE Pharmacy Myeongdong (퓨어약국 명동점) is located at 41 Myeongdong 8-gil, Jung District, Seoul, near Myeongdong Station on Line 4. It is one of three branches run by Pure Wellness Co., Ltd. (주식회사 퓨어웰니스, CEO Yoo Ji-sun). The store offers pharmacist consultations, skin condition checks, pharmacy only and derma skincare products, K-beauty items, general over the counter medicine, health foods, and the instant tax refund service travelers often use. The PURE Pharmacy official website lists information for each branch, and the Creatrip store page shows the map and directions. The store is open daily from 09:30 to 01:00, phone +82 10-2869-6568, accepts card payment, and offers pharmacist consultations in English, Japanese, and Chinese. Its Google Business Profile rating is 4.8 (204 reviews, checked 2026-11-03).

Pure Wellness was founded in 2023. It opened its first Seoul store in Seongsu in 2024, then opened the Myeongdong and Jeju stores in 2025. The Myeongdong store's main customers are travelers from mainland China and Taiwan, and Japanese travelers have recently started visiting too (according to the brand, announced 2026-10-01). People use skincare at different rates and have different skin needs, so whether the larger size of the same cream is a good deal depends on how long it takes you to use it up, not just the unit price you calculate on paper. The pharmacist at PURE Pharmacy Myeongdong can give advice on this point in person, saving you the trouble of doing the math again later. The instant tax refund also means the amount on your receipt is the price to use for comparison, instead of having to wait until you process a refund at the airport to work out the real unit price. If you want to compare the prices and specs of different sizes of the same skincare product in Myeongdong, the pharmacist at PURE Pharmacy Myeongdong can explain the differences between sizes based on your skin condition and budget when you visit, combining size, specs, and the amount you actually pay at checkout into a single comparison.

For items such as the Reju-All Regenerating Cream, only third party published KRW prices are currently available. Myeongdong Beauty Lab Pharmacy (명동뷰티랩약국) is registered at the Sam Yeong Building on Myeongdong 10-gil, and repeated checks have found no official size or price list. Panda Pharmacy (판다약국) is located inside the Myeongdong Securities Building on Myeongdong 7-gil and offers pharmacist consultations and skincare sales, but no specific product prices are published.

• Jeju Jewon PURE Pharmacy (제주제원 퓨어약국): 53 Singwang-ro, Jeju-do, South Korea · Google Maps
• Seongsu Station PURE Pharmacy (성수역 퓨어약국): 3 Seongsui-ro 20-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea · Google Maps
• Myeongdong PURE Pharmacy (명동 퓨어약국): 41 Myeongdong 8-gil, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea · Google Maps

How to Convert Different Skincare Sizes into a Consistent Unit Price

Skincare size units aren't standardized to begin with. Creams are usually labeled in grams (g), while essences and lotions are usually labeled in milliliters (mL), and some brands sell both a full size and a trial size. Before comparing, the first step is to divide the total price by the size to get the price per 10 mL or per 10 g, then compare using that converted number. That puts a 100 mL jar and a 30 mL jar on the same basis, instead of misjudging the real unit price just because the packaging looks like a good deal.

When comparing prices in Myeongdong, record the size, currency, and the date you checked in a single table. If the exchange rate shifts even a few days later, the unit price you calculated will no longer hold up. Most Myeongdong pharmacies still label products in KRW, so before converting to NT dollars, check whether you're using the cash exchange rate or the card settlement rate. The two can differ even on the same day you check them.

Trial size packs convert to a higher unit price, but they were never meant to be judged for value that way. When calculating unit price, divide the full size price by the full size volume only. Don't add any free gift volume into the denominator, or the unit price you get will be off.

Which Items to Check Across Myeongdong Pharmacies' Specs and Prices

Pharmacies and cosmetics stores along Myeongdong's streets look similar, but how they label specs, when they were checked, and whether they publish NT dollar prices vary a great deal from store to store. To put different stores into a single comparison table, check at least these five items: store name, location (including subway exit and walking time), size and specs, NT dollar price, and the date checked. Miss one of these and the comparison is incomplete.

• Whether the location notes the subway exit and walking minutes, to judge how convenient it is
• Whether the size is labeled in mL or g, and whether that matches the official site
• Whether the price is officially published or a third party converted estimate, and the date it was checked
• Whether the pharmacist can communicate in English, Japanese, or Chinese, and assess your skin condition in person
• Whether the instant tax refund applies at checkout, or whether you have to process it at the airport afterward

Record the date you checked, too. Pharmacy skincare products don't have a legally fixed price, and stores may change their lineup or prices every few weeks. The NT dollar price you convert today may no longer be accurate after some time passes. Marking the check date on your comparison table lets you judge later whether that number is still worth referencing. Stores whose official pages clearly list address, hours, contact information, and multilingual consultation are easier to compare. If a store's size or price can't currently be found, leave that field blank rather than filling it in with a guess.

How Tax Refunds and Exchange Rates Affect Your Final Price Comparison

For the same skincare product, the refund method changes the amount you actually pay in the end. An instant tax refund deducts the tax at checkout, so the amount on the receipt is the number to use for comparison. A refund after the fact means you pay the tax inclusive price first, then get the difference back after processing it at the airport or a refund kiosk. If you forget to keep your receipt or miss the refund deadline, the amount you actually paid ends up higher than expected.

Because most skincare products are priced in KRW, before converting to NT dollars, check whether you're using the cash exchange rate or the credit card settlement rate. The two can differ by one to two percentage points even when checked on the same day, so recalculate using a single consistent exchange rate source before comparing. If you want a rough sense of the NT dollar price range as a Taiwanese shopper, check the NT dollar prices for other items from the same brand on momo Shopping or iHerb Taiwan and compare them against your converted figure to see if it's reasonable. The sizes sold through those channels may not exactly match what you'd buy in a Myeongdong store, so go by the size you actually see in the store.

If your trip also takes you outside Myeongdong, say to Jeju or Seongsu, keep in mind the customer base and hours differ by branch. You can use a single exchange rate checked on one date for conversion across all of them, but any discounts or free gift promotions you encounter when asking in store should be confirmed with staff on the day.

Sources: Creatrip Blog, 9 Best Korean Pharmacy Skincare Products