What gear and supplies should I buy to prepare for the rainy season in Korea, and where can I get them?

For Korea's monsoon season (장마, late June to late July), the essential gear is a sturdy umbrella, waterproof shoes, a quick-dry rain jacket, dehumidifiers, and silica gel. The cheap 5,000 won convenience store umbrellas break in the first wind gust, so invest 30,000 to 50,000 won in a Knirps, Senz, or Korean brand Trywoody umbrella with double-canopy design. They handle Korean monsoon winds. Daiso has decent backup umbrellas at 3,000 to 5,000 won for keeping at the office or in your car.

Waterproof footwear: Rain boots from Hunter (premium, 150,000 won) are popular but expensive. Korean brands like Hunter Korea and Ssangbangwool (쌍방울) make affordable versions at 50,000 won. For everyday, just get GORE-TEX sneakers from Nike, Adidas, or Decathlon's Quechua hiking line (60,000 to 100,000 won). Slip-on Crocs work for short trips. Avoid leather shoes which warp in heavy rain and humidity.

Clothing: A light packable rain jacket (Patagonia Houdini, Decathlon Quechua, Northface RainShell at Korean department stores) is essential. Quick-dry synthetic clothing dries 3x faster than cotton. Carry a small folding rain poncho for emergencies. Crossbody waterproof bag covers from Amazon Korea or Coupang are cheap insurance for laptops and electronics.

For your home: Get a dehumidifier (제습기) from LG or Wittone at Coupang for 200,000 to 400,000 won, essential to prevent mold during the 80 to 95 percent humidity weeks. Run it 4 to 6 hours daily in the most humid rooms. Silica gel packets (제습제) for closets and shoe cabinets are 1,000 won at Daiso. Set your AC to dehumidify mode (제습 모드) for energy-efficient indoor humidity control. Mold-resistant shower curtains and bathroom anti-mold sprays (욕실 곰팡이 제거제) from CJ Lifecare at supermarkets prevent shower mold.

Buy from: Coupang (next-day delivery), Daiso (in-person, cheapest basics), Decathlon (in-person, mid-range outdoor), Lotte Mart, Emart Traders for bulk household items, or seasonal pop-up stalls in subway underpasses. Most Koreans wait until the first heavy rain to buy umbrellas and they sell out, so stock up by mid-June. Download the Korea Meteorological Administration app (KMA) for real-time rain forecasts and storm warnings.