I am no coffee connoisseur, however, I have never missed a day without a cup of coffee since being in South Korea. South Korea’s unique cafe culture isn’t the traditionally renowned coffee culture you see around the world, such as in Italy or Brazil, however, it is an entertaining experience and a huge part of daily life in South Korea. Coffee is becoming increasingly popular and people go to cafes for numerous reasons, such as for social hangouts, studying, or simply enjoying the atmosphere and attraction the cafe offers. It is becoming more of an experience rather than going solely for the sake of drinking coffee. A common type of cafe that is very popular, especially in Seoul, is themed cafes ranging from animals to anime! The different variety of themed cafes that South Korea offers is immense, and I’m sure I haven’t seen a quarter of them yet despite studying abroad for almost 3 months! Here are some of the many types of cafes in Seoul that are on my bucket list:
- Animal cafes
Being a new mom of a German Shepherd, my love for dogs is ever growing and when I heard there were dog cafes in South Korea, I knew that I had to go. So far, I have been to 2 dog cafes where I would have to buy a drink first in order to play with the dogs roaming around. One of the cafes I went to was specific to the breed of Shiba Inus and let me just say, they made my coffee taste 10x better because of how cute they were! I definitely felt like I was paying for the experience of being able to play with the dogs in the cafe rather than the drink, however, I didn’t mind because I’ve always had a love for Shiba Inus and have never been surrounded by so many in one place at the same time! Although I haven’t been to other animal-themed cafes yet, there is such a wide variety, such as kangaroo cafes, raccoon cafes, meerkat cafes, cat cafes, etc.! Those are definitely on my to-do list and if you’re an animal lover, don’t forget to check out the many different varieties of animal cafes when you’re ever in South Korea!
- Anime cafes
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, my dreams of visiting Japan did not come true, however, the anime cafes in South Korea definitely made me feel like it did! If you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli, you’ll love the Studio Ghibli cafe in Seoul named Acorn Forest! The cafe mainly showcased Kiki’s Delivery Services and My Neighbour Totoro, with half the cafe being decorated as the bakery and attic in Kiki’s Delivery Services, and the other half as Totoro’s forest. You enter into a world of the magic depicted in Studio Ghibli films and is a must-visit when in South Korea. Plus, it has many souvenirs and themed goodies that add to the experience! If you’re a fan of Jujutsu Kaisen, you’ll love the experience of its themed cafe in Seoul! At the Jujutsu Kaisen themed cafe, you could eat a brownie shaped as Sukuna’s finger along with the opportunity to visit many shops around the area for merchandise of other anime as well! Personally, anime has been a big part of my childhood growing up and the experiences of going to anime-themed cafes were very memorable and an experience I will never forget!
- Aesthetic cafes
Many people love to go to aesthetically themed cafes to take pictures for memories, as well as to share online! One of the many aesthetically pleasing cafes I’ve had the pleasure to visit is called Greem Cafe where everything was decorated in a black and white 2D background, such as the walls, chairs, and tables! There was even a room specifically for photo opportunities, where they had 2D decorated props, such as a backpack, hat, mirror, etc. This unique concept made me feel like I was trapped in a cartoon and was loving every moment because we spent over an hour there enjoying the aesthetic of it all! Another aesthetically pleasing cafe I came across was called StyleNanda Pink Pool Cafe. Not only can you come here to satisfy any sweet craving from tea to cake, but there is also a pool (for decoration purposes only) in the cafe to take photos along with many other photo opportunities displayed around the cafe. The color scheme of soft pink and blue with neon lights was my favorite part because it emitted a retro atmosphere that felt like I was back in the ’90s. These unique cafes are a must-visit whenever you’re in South Korea to simply enjoy the ambiance of the different varieties of aesthetic cafes they offer!
Compared to home in California, cafe culture isn’t as popular as it is in South Korea. I have never been to a place with so many different themed cafes in every corner, however, this unique characteristic of South Korea will make me miss this country even more when I head back to the states. Although I have never been a cafe type of gal, South Korea has changed me into a new person that has grown a different perspective on creativity. If I ever get the chance to visit this beautiful country again in the future, I hope to visit more uniquely themed cafes and many other amazing places South Korea has to offer!