Community Guide

Frances Lee

That is tattoo artist and author Frances Lee.

Monography

If you're looking for a more premium, hip, photoshoot-like vibe, I highly recommend Monography. The North York location, in particular, features a Y2K-inspired "overhead" (high-angle) booth that has recently gone completely viral on TikTok and Instagram! Looking up at the camera mounted on the ceiling gives you a unique angle and highly trendy results.

Alliance Taekwondo

Alliance Taekwondo in Richmond Hill, beloved for its after-school pickup programs and adult KickFit

Haphoto Studio

If you're looking for a more sophisticated and trendy style for pre-wedding, engagement, or profile photography, this place is worth keeping an eye on. Known for its clean sets and masterful use of lighting to create detailed compositions, it is highly popular among couples preparing for wedding-related shoots.

YDC Gaon Hangul School

This is the newly opened Gaon Hangul School located near Finch Station in North York. Group and 1:1 private lessons are actively conducted in newly renovated, clean, and modern classrooms. Going beyond simply learning the language, it is a place where students can explore the deep charm of Korean culture. It is highly recommended not only for second-generation diaspora children navigating their identity but also for children from multicultural families curious about K-culture.

Wonder Pens

Tucked away on Clinton Street, Wonder Pens is a family-run haven for fountain pen enthusiasts. As soon as you open the door, the subtle, vintage scent of wood and ink instantly calms the mind. Browsing through everything from vibrantly colored bottled inks to premium imported bleed-proof notebooks makes you want to hold a pen and write letters all day long.

Christina Park

Author Christina Park has a truly unique and impressive background.

Color Atelier

The final spot on our list is Color Atelier, a studio that adds a touch of scientific precision to the process. Rather than stopping at a visual draping analysis, they combine it with a colorimeter device that precisely measures the lightness, redness, and yellowness of your skin tone in numerical values, ensuring an objective diagnosis. The studio is operated by an expert who has completed programs at Jung Saem Mool Art & Academy in Korea, alongside experience in the Vancouver and Toronto beauty industries.

Che Ree Kwon

For Toronto-based artist Che Ree Kwon, that trial literally hit her "like a flood."

we11color (WE11 BEAUTY)

The first place I'd like to introduce is we11color, well-known for its collaborations with reputable brands and institutions such as Chanel, Korea's K-EXPO, and the Toronto Public Library (TPL). Stepping into this studio, you are greeted by the delightful sight of countless color drapes neatly arranged like a rainbow under radiant studio lighting—a visual treat that instantly flutters the heart. They offer systematic PCCS color consulting that encompasses the bone structures and skin tones of both Eastern and Western demographics, guiding you toward the seasonal colors and styling directions that suit you best.

June Hur

At the center of this current stands June Hur, a Korean-Canadian author possessing a depth that the label "K-Thriller" alone cannot fully capture.

Moon's Flowers

Looking at Moon's Flowers in Oakville, you can truly feel how diverse cultural influences are spreading beyond Toronto and throughout the GTA. Filled with fresh and vibrant blooms, this shop highlights a sophisticated and elegant Asian-inspired wrapping style, boasting a wide delivery network that brings fresh flowers right to your doorstep.

Hanji Gifts

First up is Hanji Gifts, located on Queen Street West. When you open the door and walk in, the warm, subtle, earthy scent of hanji (traditional Korean paper) made from natural mulberry trees welcomes you like a warm hug. Owners Hyun-suk Choi and Catherine, who met in Korea and got married, opened the shop in 2011 to share Korean tradition and design with Canada. There is so much to see, from charming stickers and imported Korean Da-kku supplies filling the space to their original Toronto-themed pop-up cards. I always find myself leaving with a smile and a beautifully wrapped gift in hand!

M. J. Kang

In 1993, the Canadian theatre scene in Toronto took notice of the emergence of a young woman of Korean descent.

Stefano Jun

It is none other than Calgary-based civil engineer and cartoonist, Stefano Jun.

Midam Canada

Located in Newmarket, 'Midam Canada' is a premium traditional dessert studio where a subtle, fragrant sweetness warmly welcomes you the moment you step inside. Take a bite of their dried persimmon gangjeong (sweet puffs) or bellflower root jeonggwa (candied preserves), which are brimming with the owner's devotion, and your mouth will be filled with an elegant, perfectly balanced sweetness and a delightful chewy texture. Sticking strictly to traditional techniques, every menu item is carefully handcrafted in small batches, ensuring exceptional quality. Be sure to also try their healthy gluten-free cakes and satisfying rice cakes (tteok) that make for a great meal replacement!

Editorial Grid

If you prefer a clean and minimalist aesthetic, we highly recommend Editorial Grid, a Toronto-based online boutique. They delicately curate the most sophisticated Korean paper goods, planners, and everyday writing instruments, adding a touch of elegance to your Da-kku. The moment you unbox their carefully packaged delivery, it feels like carefully unwrapping a piece of modern art. The thick, smooth texture of an Analog Keeper diary, in particular, feels fantastic when your pen tip touches it.

A true staple of Koreatown! Entering Mr. Pen, you are overcome with a strong wave of nostalgia, as if you've stepped into a neighborhood stationery store in Seoul from your childhood. Cute plushies stacked to the ceiling, quirky and colorful notebooks, and an endless array of pen displays! Just listening to the clicking sounds of customers testing out gel pens on the sample pads in the store is healing in itself.

Sori Forest Hangeul

If you are looking for customized bilingual Hangul education for children from 3 years old to kindergarten (JK/SK), be sure to pay attention to this place. It is led by an early childhood education expert (ECE Diploma) who boasts 12 years of teaching experience in Korea and 10 years in Canada. Perhaps due to her 8 years of experience exclusively teaching Kumon Hangul, the classroom is filled with the cheerful sounds of children singing children's songs as they absorb the sounds and principles of Hangul like sponges. Thanks to theme-based learning grounded in the Nuri curriculum (the Korean national preschool curriculum), delightful playtime unfolds that stimulates all five of the children's senses.

Located near Yonge St and Drewry Ave in North York, Bubu Acupuncture Clinic is one of the premier Korean medicine clinics that has built long-standing trust in Toronto. The quiet, relaxed atmosphere you feel as soon as you open the door helps you comfortably let go of the exhaustion of daily life.

Sodamhwa

If you are looking for a gift to convey your heart to someone special, 'Sodamhwa' is the perfect answer! When I first saw their kkot-jeungpyeon (flower-patterned fermented rice cakes) blooming beautifully like real blossoms and their adorable watermelon-shaped seolgi (steamed rice cakes), I was so mesmerized by their visual beauty that they almost felt too pretty to eat. Their crispy, sweet oranda (puffed wheat snack) and dense, chewy yakgwa pair harmoniously with tea or coffee. You can conveniently order these flower-like, lovingly made desserts via their Kakao Channel.

Eric Choi

Author Eric Choi’s background imbues these stories with an overwhelming sense of realism.

Kyungmin Kate Lee

For artist Kyungmin Kate Lee, photography has always been a vital window to communicate with the world and a medium for recording everyday emotions that words fail to capture.

Sarah & Tom

This is a true classic and a longstanding landmark representing Toronto's Koreatown! They recently expanded and relocated to an even larger, shinier new storefront on Bloor Street. Beyond the walls packed wall-to-wall with albums, the distinct scent of new stationery tickles your nose, while shelves overflowing with fluffy, adorable Korean character plushies make it impossible to look away. Thanks to the perfect harmony of cute knick-knacks and K-Pop merch, it's a magical space where walking out empty-handed is nearly impossible.