Sometimes Korea just hands you something so wonderfully random that you have no choice but to buy it, film it and tell the entire internet about it.

I know…catchy title. But its no transparent ploy…this is super cool. Well…cool in the sense that sometimes its just the little things that make you smile. These are indeed little and yes, i smiled…many times.

So, on our journey to Costco in Busan last weekend, Nicole and I happened upon theses little guys. A 300 pack of what seems to be white capsules with a graphic showing them mysteriously morphing into paper towels. Now, this was too much to leave to the imagination so we scooped them up for 9K won and heres the whats what.

Made in Korea by “Vegetable Home”, you get a ziplock full of these lil white capsules…pellets…whatev.

You run them under water for about 2 second…..they magically expand like so….

Unroll the expanded capsule and BAM!….moist towelette. Magic….many smiles.

Oh you wanna see a demo? Ok.

Thank me later,

Adam

 

Q: What are the magic towelette capsules from Korea? A: They are small white capsules made by a Korean company called Vegetable Home. You run them under water for about two seconds and they expand and unroll into a full moist towelette. They come in packs of 300 and are genuinely one of the most satisfying things we have ever purchased anywhere in the world.

Q: Where can you buy the magic towelette capsules in Korea? A: We found ours at Costco in Busan South Korea for 9,000 won — roughly less than $10 for 300 capsules. They are also available at various Korean markets and online retailers.

Q: Are Korean Costco stores different from American Costco stores? A: Yes and gloriously so. Korean Costco carries a fascinating mix of familiar American products alongside Korean staples and completely unexpected local finds — like 300 magic towelette capsules that you absolutely did not know you needed.

Q: What is it like shopping at Costco in Busan Korea? A: Chaotic, enormous and endlessly entertaining. The food court alone is worth the trip and the product selection is a wonderful window into the overlap between Korean and Western consumer culture. Highly recommend a visit if you are living in or visiting Busan.

Q: What are the best random things to buy in Korea? A: Korea is an absolute goldmine for quirky, useful and brilliant everyday products. The magic towelette capsules are just the beginning — Korean convenience stores, markets and big box retailers like Costco and Lotte Mart are full of affordable little discoveries that will make you smile for days.

Planning a trip to Asia? Check out plan your Asia trip with Nicole.