Hanok Cafés in Seoul

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Hanok Cafés in Seoul
2014.10.07 20:55 ㅣ 2,325

[english.visitkorea.or.kr] At Bukchon Hanok Village and Insa-dong in downtown Seoul, there are a number of cafés housed in renovated hanok (traditional Korean residential building) buildings. These hanok cafés serve a variety of delicious drinks from coffee to traditional Korean tea, but what sets them apart from standard cafés is their beautiful traditional architecture. Some even have jangdokdae (traditional Korean earthenware pots containing sauces), daecheong maru (wooden-floors) and giwa (traditional roof tiles), all of which come together to create a unique traditional ambiance. Read on to learn more about hanok cafés in downtown Seoul.

Café LN

Close to Jeongdok Library is Café LN, which is housed in an elegant hanok. The café has a traditional exterior façade, but the interior is distinctly modern. The name LN is an abbreviation of “luden loquen,” which is a portmanteau of “homo ludens” (playing man) and “homo loquens” (talking man). The building had originally been used as an office space but it was renovated into a café and reopened in September 2010.

The courtyard, which resembles the box shape character of the Korean alphabet (“ㅁ”), is the most popular space in the café. It features a nice pine tree and several tables and chairs, creating an inviting ambiance for visitors. In one corner of the café, there is a section that displays t-shirts, books, diaries, and other stationery and items unique to Luden Loquen. These items are all available for purchase. On the basement floor, there is a space where visitors can organize exhibitions and events. The menu consists of healthy beverages like Korean Black Raspberry Latte and Black Sesame Latte, as well as the Glutinous Rice Cake Waffle, which are all unique items to Café LN.

Gahwadang

Meaning “a home with a beautiful picture,” Gahwadang is a traditional Korean café situated in a quiet alley off Samcheongdong-gil Road. From the moment you step inside through the stairway entrance, you are welcomed with the café’s traditional feel thanks to its classic roof tiles and earthenware pots.

This small café is housed in a horseshoe shaped building that resembles the Korean alphabet character “ㄷ.” It has about five tables and the inside of the café is decorated with beautiful Korean items. The menu consists of traditional Korean teas, grilled garae-tteok (long, round rice cake), hangwa (traditional Korean cookies), and other traditional snacks. In the summer, the café also offers refreshing bingsu, a traditional Korean dessert. All the tables have a small notepad and colored pencils for visitors to take memos or draw pictures. It is fun to browse the writings and drawings of others.

Yeon

Yeon is a popular hanok café in Samcheong-dong. It is housed in a hanok building that has retained its original structure through its renovation into a café. The establishment has five separate areas, including one big room, two small rooms, an attic, and a yard. In the big room, there is a world map on the wall. You will also find travel guidebooks throughout the café. Yeon offers a variety of traditional Korean teas and snacks, but you can also order coffee, Indian chai tea and lassi, and Thai banana pancakes, giving the café an international concept. Also on the menu are cocktails, beer, other types of alcoholic drinks, and appetizers.

The Moonbird Only Thinks of the Moon

Dalsaeneun Dalman Saenggakhanda (The Moonbird Only Thinks of the Moon) is a traditional teahouse in Insa-dong. The poetic name of the tea house comes from the title of an essay book by Korean writer Ryu Si-hwa. Some people call the tea house by the name Dalsae (moonbird). Opened in 1996, this establishment does not stand out as it is located in a small alley near the busy Ssamziegil. Nonetheless, it is popular among people who are attracted to the charms of traditional tea houses. Through word of mouth, the teahouse has also drawn a lot of international visitors. The interior is decorated with various masks, straw shoes, and paintings to enhance its traditional Korean style. You will find messages or drawings on napkins left by visitors from all over the world.

The tea house offers teas made of a variety of homemade fermented ingredients. Order tea and you will be served with a Thermos flask so you can brew your own tea. The tea is also served with some rice cakes and hangwa snacks. It is quite calming to sip the fragrant tea and eat chewy rice cakes dipped in honey while listening to classical Korean music. When the days get chilly, the tea house offers up some nutritious jujube tea. In the scorching summer months, they serve sour omija tea over ice or refreshing sujeonggwa tea.

Traditional Tea House at Kyung-in Museum of Fine Art

Take Exit 6 from Anguk Station on Seoul Subway Line 3 and walk through the streets of the bustling Insa-dong area until you come by a less populated alley to your right that is lined with small galleries. As you walk in this alley, you will see a sign for Kyung-in Museum of Fine Art to the left. Follow the sign and enter the museum to be greeted with earthenware pots followed by a wooden hanok building and various trees in a large courtyard.

Dawon (Traditional Tea Garden) is a tea house operated by the Kyung-in Museum of Fine Art. The hanok building is in an "L" shape and visitors can either sit on the floor or sit at a table. The tea house offers 15 types of traditional teas, all of which are homemade. The deep-brewed jujube tea is especially popular. In the scorching summer months, their Omija Punch is a top seller. Order tea and you will be served with a yugwa traditional cookie. If you are hungry, you can also order grilled garae-tteok rice cakes or assorted rice cakes on the side. It is also fun to browse the shelves of tea cups of various colors and shades, the antique dressers and decorative folding screens. This is a nice place to relax after visiting the museum or having looked around the streets of Insa-dong.