Assi Market Weekly Ads & Flyers

The Masters of Korean Cuisine: What to Buy Here

If you want to cook authentic Korean food, Assi Market is the holy grail. When you browse the Weekly Ad or walk the aisles, these are the signature departments you cannot miss:

The K-BBQ Meat Counter

• You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars at a Korean BBQ restaurant. Assi Market’s butcher department does all the prep work for you.
• The Specialty: They specialize in premium, pre-marinated meats ready for your grill or skillet. Look for Beef Bulgogi (sweet marinated sliced beef), LA Galbi (marinated short ribs), and thick-cut Pork Belly (Samgyeopsal). The Weekly Ad heavily features weekend markdowns on these meats, usually sold by the pound in family-sized packs.

The "Banchan" (Side Dish) & Kimchi Deli

• A traditional Korean meal is not complete without Banchan (the small side dishes served with rice).
• The Specialty: Assi has a massive open deli counter dedicated entirely to fresh, house-made side dishes. You can buy fresh spicy squid, marinated lotus root, seasoned spinach, and dozens of varieties of Kimchi (ranging from classic Napa cabbage to cubed radish and green onion kimchi) sold by weight or in massive glass jars.

Wholesale & Bulk Ingredients

• Assi Market caters not just to families, but to local restaurant owners as well.
• The Specialty: The flyer frequently highlights "Wholesale" sections. If you have a large family or a deep pantry, this is the best place to buy 40-pound bags of premium short-grain rice, massive jugs of soy sauce and sesame oil, and bulk boxes of popular instant ramen brands like Shin Ramyun or Samyang Buldak.

The Asian Food Court & Bakery

• Shopping here is an all-day event, and most locals don't leave without eating lunch first.
• The Specialty: The stores feature bustling food courts serving hot, authentic dishes like Bibimbap, spicy tofu soup (Soondubu), and Korean fried chicken. You will also find in-house bakeries serving fresh Korean pastries, red bean buns, and beautiful roll cakes.
• Beyond the Food: The K-Beauty Aisle
• While Assi Market is famous for its groceries, there is a hidden gem inside the store that draws a completely different crowd: the Korean Beauty (K-Beauty) section.
• You don't need to go to an expensive specialty cosmetics store to find premium skincare. Assi Market features dedicated aisles for imported Korean skincare and beauty products.
• What to Look For: The Weekly Ad occasionally features sales on highly sought-after Korean sheet masks, snail mucin skincare lines, gentle cleansers, and hair care products. If you are picking up groceries, taking a detour down the beauty aisle is a local secret for scoring high-end skincare at supermarket prices.
• The Beginner’s Cheat Sheet: Korean Pantry Essentials
• Walking down the sauce and condiment aisle at Assi Market can be intimidating if you don't read Korean. If you want to start making your own stir-fries, stews, or marinades at home, keep this friendly cheat sheet handy when browsing the Weekly Ad to know exactly what you are looking for:
• Gochujang (Red Chili Paste): The MVP of the Korean kitchen. It is a thick, sweet, and spicy crimson paste. If you want to make spicy pork or authentic Bibimbap, you must buy this. (Usually sold in a recognizable red rectangular tub).
• Doenjang (Soybean Paste): The Korean cousin to Japanese Miso, but deeper and earthier. Essential for making hearty, comforting Korean stews. (Usually sold in a brown rectangular tub).
• Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes): Unlike standard red pepper flakes, these are vibrant red, slightly sweet, and smoky. You need this to make Kimchi or to add a bright red color to your soups without making them overpoweringly spicy.
• Tteok (Rice Cakes): Found in the refrigerated or frozen section. These are chewy, cylindrical, or flat rice cakes. Grab a bag of these to make Tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes), a wildly popular Korean street food.
• Gim (Roasted Seaweed): Sold in massive multi-packs. Lightly roasted with sesame oil and salt, it is the perfect healthy snack or wrapper for your rice. Look for BOGO (Buy One, Get One) sales on these in the weekly flyer!

To truly master the Assi Plaza shopping experience, you need to know about these cultural events and local hacks:

The Fall "Kimjang" Season (Napa Cabbage Sales)

• In Korean culture, Kimjang is the traditional late-fall process of preparing massive amounts of Kimchi to last through the winter.
• The Insider Tip: During October and November, the Assi Market Weekly Ad will feature insane bulk discounts on giant boxes of Napa Cabbage, Korean radishes, bulk garlic, and coarse red pepper flakes (Gochugaru). Even if you don't make Kimchi, this is the cheapest time of the year to buy fresh produce.

Lunar New Year & Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)

• Assi Market runs its most aggressive sales during major Asian holidays.
• The Insider Tip: During Lunar New Year (Jan/Feb) and Chuseok (usually September), the flyer is packed with deals on premium gift sets. You will find beautifully packaged Asian pears, premium Spam and cooking oil gift boxes, and expensive cuts of beef drastically marked down.

Weekend Free Samples

• The Insider Tip: If you visit Assi Market on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, the store turns into a tasting menu. Vendors set up sample stations at the end of almost every aisle, offering free bites of new frozen dumplings, marinated meats, and imported snacks. It is the best time to try before you buy!
• Assi Market vs. Regular Grocery Stores: What is the Difference?
• If you have never shopped at an international supercenter like Assi Market, you might wonder why people drive 30 miles just to buy groceries here instead of visiting their local Kroger, Safeway, or Walmart.
• Here is what makes Assi Plaza fundamentally different:
• The "Whole Ecosystem" Approach: Standard grocery stores buy pre-packaged international items and put them on a small shelf. Assi Market is a complete ecosystem. They have in-house butchers cutting the meat, in-house chefs fermenting the Kimchi, and direct supply chains to Asian farms for produce. This direct sourcing allows them to sell authentic ingredients at a fraction of the cost of a "gourmet" supermarket.
• Warehouse Sizing Without the Membership: It feels like a Costco or Sam's Club built specifically for Asian cuisine, but you do not need a membership card. You can buy a single apple, or you can buy a 50-pound bag of rice and a commercial-sized jug of soy sauce in the same trip.
• The "Live" Atmosphere: Shopping here is an event. With live seafood tanks, bustling food courts, weekend sample stations, and a massive array of housewares (from rice cookers to traditional ceramics), it is a vibrant cultural hub, not just a quiet place to buy milk.
• Spotting the "Real" Deals: What is Actually Discounted?
• When you open the Assi Market Weekly Ad, you will see hundreds of items. But which ones are the genuine, rock-bottom discounts that locals actually rush the store for?
• If you want to maximize your savings, look for these specific "loss-leader" categories where the real price drops happen:

The Produce "Door-Busters"

• The most aggressive, true discounts in the entire flyer are usually on the front page in the produce section. Assi uses extremely cheap vegetables to get shoppers in the door.
• The Real Deal: Look for insane pricing on Green Onions (Scallions), Napa Cabbage, Korean Radishes (Mu), and Garlic. It is very common to see deals like "10 Bunches of Green Onions for $1.99" during peak sales.

Bulk Rice Price Wars

• Rice is the foundation of the Asian diet, and Assi Market uses bulk rice as a massive draw.
• The Real Deal: The true discounts are on the 15 lb and 40 lb bags of premium short-grain and Jasmine rice. When these hit the Weekly Ad, the price per pound drops significantly lower than anything you will find at a standard big-box store. Savvy shoppers stock up for the quarter when these bags go on sale.

Weekend Meat Markdowns

• The butcher counter features real, substantial discounts, but they are highly strategic.
• The Real Deal: The best markdowns are on thinly sliced meats designed for Hot Pot and K-BBQ (like Beef Brisket and Pork Belly). However, these deep discounts are almost always tied to Friday-to-Sunday weekend sales. If you shop on a Tuesday, you will likely pay full price.

BOGO on Imported Snacks & Noodles

• Because they import massive shipping containers of dry goods, Assi frequently needs to clear shelf space for new inventory.
• The Real Deal: Keep an eye on the middle pages of the flyer for Buy One, Get One (BOGO) Free deals on multi-packs of Korean instant ramen (like Shin Ramyun), boxes of Choco Pies, and massive packs of roasted seaweed (Gim).