PLANNING your next shopping destination? Take advantage of cheap air travel and cast your net wider.

Offering more than pretty scenery and hot metrosexual guys, Seoul's sprawling shopping districts and huge factory outlet malls can satiate every shopaholic's cravings.

A frequent traveller to Korea, Ms Chua Poh Ling, said: "It's a great place to shop for cheap winter clothing, and Korean fashion is definitely better than Singapore's!"

Late-night shopping is taken to new heights at the Dongdaemun wholesale market where shops stay open from 10.30am to 5am daily (except on Mondays and public holidays).

From the latest street trends to electronics to essentials for newly-weds, you can find it all in the 26 malls and 30,000 speciality shops in this district.

Over at the Myeongdong shopping area, the chic and uber-hip strut their stuff through 300,000sqm of the trendiest shops in Korea. Famed for its night life and bargain buys, Sinchon Fashion Street teems with students from the nearby universities.

Ms Estelle Tan, 32, loves this hang-out. "I find the boutiques opened by the arts students particularly delightful," she said. "You can find creative, unique pieces at great prices."

Hankering for that Coach bag but the States just too far away? Swoon at the Yeoju Premium Factory Outlet Mall - the biggest of its kind in Korea.

It is stocked to the brim with Gucci, Prada, and Burberry, and among the 120 luxury goods stores you should be able to find yourself a bargain.

Another shopaholic haven can be found in Japan.

The Japanese equivalent to the Korean factory outlet mall is the Gotemba Premium Outlet Mall.

An additional perk? Take a break from the frenzied shopping, step outside and drink in the breathtaking view of Mount Fuji up close.

The cost of living in Japan may be high, but shopping there need not put your wallet on a diet for a year.

International luxury brands like Comme des Garcons can cost 40 to 50 per cent less than in Singapore, according to some fans of shopping in Japan. The place to go is Isetan Men's, with its comprehensive stockpile of brands.

Step into Shinjuku, "the town that never sleeps", bask in the zing of quirky originality in the air and get a glimpse of the hottest trends - months before they arrive in Singapore.

Sports buffs can stock up at Victoria, a five-storey building dedicated to sporting equipment.

"A must-buy are Converse shoes. Their best designs are exclusive to Japan, and they're my personal favourites," said celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee.

It is an open secret that the best technology is found in Japan, so indulge the techie in you at Akihabara, the most famous 'electronics town' in Japan.

Best of all, leave those sticky shirts behind and forget about the sweltering heat of summer in cool Japan and Korea.