Week 13 – Cafes in Seoul

By:

Allison Lai

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Countries

Demographics

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Majors

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Regions

Allison Lai

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> ใ“ใ‚“ใซใกใฏ๏ผ <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Baruch College, CUNY <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2022 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Tokyo, Japan <i>Program provider:</i> Baruch College – Waseda University Exchange <i>Major/minor:</i> International Business / Japanese and Marketing <i>Demographics:</i> First-Generation, Asian <i>Future career aspirations:</i> To break into product management and international business! <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> 1) Improve my Japanese speaking skills, 2) Immerse myself in the culture and practices, 3) Develop long-lasting relationships with amazing people during my travels.

There are a lot of cafes in South Korea with fun and unique themes that you will never find outside most countries. I am currently in one as I type this.

There are different aesthetics such as animal cafes, retro cafes, cute cafes, rustic cafes, and so many more themes. South Koreans love drinking americanos. This is the most popular drink in South Korea because it is one of the cheapest espresso drinks on the menu. In the cafe right now, I see 6 americanos on the tables right in front of me.

I have been to animal cafes such as dog cafes, meerkat cafes, cat cafes, sheep cafes, samoyed dog cafes, racoon cafes, and a zoo cafe. In Seoul, there are cafes literally everywhere, on every block, every street, every corner.

Some of my top recommendations for cafes in Seoul are listed below:

HoHoMyoll cafe in Hongdae is a cute, quaint cafe. It is rustic, somewhat old-fashioned and modern at the same time. There are cute Japanese figurines and antiques decorating the cafe. There is a second-floor area where you can sit as if you are camping. And the best part is that there is an area where you can see the employees roasting and making the coffee beans. Plus, there are certificates in this cafe where you can learn masterclass barista skills.

Cafe Gabiae in Hongdae is another nice and modern cafe. This cafe has multiple floors with many balconies on different sides and open window concepts. It is nice to sit especially on a hot summer day and feel the breeze in your hair. The staff are very friendly and the drinks are great! This cafe spot is also nearby my favorite restaurant, Casa Latina. Casa Latina is a delicious latin-american restaurant where the food is salty and great! It is my go-to because they have plantains, avocados, and great cocktails like coquito and pina coladas. The owners are lovely and so friendly!

Hapjeong street is a good area to visit to see great quality cafes. One of such cafes are Bean Brothers in Hapjeong. The coffee is so delicious and there is a simple, minimalistic design to the cafe. You can watch the employees make the coffee right in front of you and you can do tastings to pair with desserts. There is a second floor area where you can look down below at everyone and at the employees as they work.