LPs from yesteryear

Jung-gu, home to Myeong-dong, a popular shopping district with Shinsegae Department Store and Lotte Department Store, is a bustling district filled with tourists and shoppers.

Head to Hoehyun Shopping Center, an underground shopping arcade connected to Shinsegae Department Store is a paradise for music buffs.

Located at the center of the underground shopping center is Livingsa, one of the several secondhand LP stores at the arcade stocked with a seemingly endless selection of LPs, ranging from jazz, rock and classical to old J-pop and K-pop.

Visitors can quickly browse the albums by such music legends as Elton John, Madonna and Jimi Hendrix.

Music lovers, of course, can take time to discover the lesser-known, rare LPs or find new favorite artists as well.

Make sure to bring your earphones to sample the vinyl records on a turntable operated by the store owner.

“I never counted the albums one by one, but I am sure there are almost 70,000 vinyl records stored in our shop,” the owner of Livingsa told The Korea Herald on Tuesday.

Prices range from a few thousand won to hundreds of thousands, depending on rarity and the condition of the LP. Considered a classic, "Plastic Love" by Mariya Takeuchi has a price sticker of 155,000 won, for example.

“Instead of searching for a song on YouTube or Melon, I find it really interesting to look at the LPs and the cover art. I think these experiences make me hear certain songs (or albums) more often than others," a 21-year-old university who wished to remain anonymous told The Korea Herald.

Artifacts from Pompeii

If you plan to visit The Hyundai Seoul this weekend for some shopping, stop by a special exhibition that will take you back in time to the mysterious city of Pompeii 2,000 years ago.

The exhibition titled "The Last Days of Pompeii" is taking place at the cultural space Alt.1, on the sixth floor of The Hyundai Seoul, Yeouido.

On Aug. 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying Pompeii, a city with a flourishing Greco-Roman culture. The entire city was well preserved for more than 1,700 years due to the volcanic ash and excavations have been carried out since 1748.

The exhibition, held in conjunction with the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy, showcases 127 artifacts, including marble and bronze statues, frescoes and daily necessities of the ancient people.

Entering the exhibition hall, a marble statue of Hermes, the god of messengers, welcomes visitors in his winged leather shows. Artwork that decorated Pompeii's luxurious mansions, including an Aphrodite statue, a Dionysus bust and a Satyr bronze statue, as well as a krater, jewelry, and garden water basins, show how the people of Pompeii lived.

At the end of the exhibition, a short film depicting the volcanic eruption allows visitors to be immersed in the disaster.

The exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day until May 6. Tickets for adults cost 20,000 won and 15,000 won for teenagers under 20.

Haven for movie aficionados

Movie fans will surely feel at home at Cinema 4, a cinema store and cafe boasting a collection of rare movie-related goods, an assortment of desserts and mini-movie theaters.

Located near Sangsu Station on Subway Line 6, visitors can browse unique movie-themed merchandise here.

Posters, postcards, key rings and figurines depicting characters from classic movies such as "Wizard of Oz," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Chungking Express" and "In the Mood for Love" are put on for sale.

DVDs of movies are also available for purchase, for an average price of 1,000 won (75 cents).

Visitors can also browse a curated collection of movie-related books, including those that delve into the filmmaking process, while indulging in desserts.

Cinema 4 also features miniature movie theaters where visitors can watch films of their choice, by selecting a movie from a list.

Cinema 4 operates from noon to 8 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. The shop is closed Monday through Wednesday. Visitors are allowed to bring their pets.