Halloween Haul from Daiso Korea

Finally, the Halloween season is upon us! While Halloween is not quite as big a holiday in South Korea as it is in the United States, it is slowly becoming more known and more popular among the younger generation. Many children, especially those who attend private English academies (영어 학원), have had some exposure to the concept of Halloween, so it’s now quite easy to find seasonal decorations and food items at places like Daiso and Starbucks. I’m personally really impressed with the Halloween festivities put on at Everland and Lotte World, two of South Korea’s popular theme parks. I always try to make it a point to visit Everland at least once during their Halloween event period, but since that might not happen this year (pandemic), I wanted to bring the spirit of Halloween home! I already had a sizeable stash of Halloween decorations from my years of teaching English, but I decided to venture out to my nearest Daiso to see what they had in stock.

If you’re not familiar with Daiso, it’s Asia’s answer to the Dollar Tree. They have home décor items and all kinds of useful items – from kitchenware and cleaning products, to stationery and cosmetics. Since Halloween (and decorating for it) has recently grown in popularity, Daiso releases a specially-themed product line each fall. They do recycle many designs and products from previous years, but you can always count on finding a few new goodies each year. I personally noticed more costume options than previous years, as well as mixed candy bags and individually packaged chocolate/candy gift boxes for children.

This year, I was able to scoop up quite a few products from the Halloween section, but I also checked out the rest of the store to see what I could incorporate into my décor this year. With a little luck and creativity, you can find lots of everyday items that you can use for seasonal decorating. I found items in the Halloween section of course, but also in the candle section, gardening section and DIY section, too.

Note: The product names below in the captions are not official product names, just my own basic English translations and descriptions.

Instead of going for a spooky/scary look, I really wanted to my décor to give off a whimsical and magical feel this year. The first item I found was a set of string lights with metallic silver stars, which was actually displayed in Daiso’s camping section. I thought it would really enhance the ambiance and I liked the silver tone.

Next, I picked out two different types of party garland. I admit, they are a bit too bold for the theme I was going for, but I still liked the color combinations. I think they’re a bit too bold for everyday use, but I plan to save them until Halloween weekend to add some last-minute flare.

Next, I found this set of 2 drawstring bags in this pretty purple shade with a gold metallic cobweb design. I didn’t have anything in mind when I added them to my basket besides, “Ooh, pretty!” But once I got home I realized they would make great potpourri sachets! Glad I scooped these up, as they were the only ones in the store.

Then I headed to the candle section! I had a hard time settling on colors, since Daiso had such a wide variety. Before settling on a brighter, lighter color scheme, I thought about going for something more earthy and rustic. Brown, burgundy, tan, etc. But once I set eyes on the lavender candle, I new I needed to go in a new direction. I was also pleasantly surprised to find this light orange candle in the Tea & Citrus scent, so I bought both. What’s Halloween without a little orange in the mix?

As you can see in the photo below, the lavender candle is resting on a brushed silver pedestal. It was such a surprising find and I thought it was perfect to add to the whimsical, magical vibe.

*Pillar Candles (Lavender and Tea & Citrus) – ₩3,000 each*

As I was browsing the gardening section I came across various pots and vases. It turns out, there was a matching silver base to go with the candle pedestal. I was thrilled! It’s a small detail, but I’m really glad I could find two matching pieces which will keep the look cohesive.

*Metallic Vase and Pedestal – ₩3,000 and ₩5,000*

For years I have been hunting for the perfect throw pillow covers for Halloween, to no avail. I ordered a few covers from Ailee Express last year, and was highly disappointed by both the quality and the cost. I tried to order other covers from Gmarket, but the shop I ordered from was unreliable and cancelled my order. So while in the linens and DIY section of Daiso, I came across these fabric squares in a nice neutral pattern. They’re not exactly Halloween-y, but they were soft, nice to look at, and extremely cheap, so I’m going to try to make my own cushion covers! I also picked up this sheer full-length lilac curtain with a few ideas in mind. I could hang it up as an actual curtain, or I could incorporate it into the cushion covers, OR I could even use the fabric as a table runner. I only bought one, but I might go back for a second to incorporate this pretty sheer fabric in a few different spots.

*DIY Fabric – ₩1,000 || Full-length Sheer Curtain in Lilac – ₩5,000*

So that was my haul! As you can see in the above picture, I did pick up a few other odds and ends like paper plates, a paper mobile decoration, and some fake plants (and not pictured are some supplies like tape and fabric glue). As I mentioned, I already have a large stash of Halloween decorations, so now it’s time to pull everything out of storage and see what items I can mix and match with everything I just bought.

I’m really excited to decorate! I’m thinking about filming a video to show off my décor once it’s all finished, but I’m still on the fence. We’ll see how it goes.

Hope you’re ready for spooky season!