This post is a continuation of my previous post Korea 2012: Day 4 Part 1 (Thanks Nature Café and Trick Eye Museum 트릭아이미술관 in Hongdae 홍대)
We're still in the bright beautiful grounds of Hongdae on Day 4!
I figured I should show you guys how Hongik University looks like as it makes a great landmark as well as architectural splendour within the area.
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| Perhaps it looks a little meh in this photo. But I guarantee that when you're standing before it, you'll just be overwhelmed at its sheer size. Just AWE. |
Let's carry on with the café hopping!
1st STOP: Puppy Café Sangsang Dabang 상상다방 애견카페
We initally intended to head to Bau House Café (a dog cafe) but at the time it was under some form of renovation. We then wanted to check out the café where Coffee Prince was filmed but that was under renovation as well. TERRIBLE LUCK WE HAD. By luck we found this puppy cafe just from the signs along the main road. Exhausted from navigating to defunct cafés, we decided to stop here and check out the cute puppies.
What is a dog café?
For those of you who don't know, or have huge hygiene restrictions and cleanliness issues in your countries with stiffy law-makers who refuse to budge, do let me try to explain. Dog cafés exist to cater to those who always wanted to own and interact with dogs but cannot afford to have one of their own. These cafés don't serve fantastic food nor drinks, but as usual, they sell the concept of being able to interact with dogs (or cats for cat cafés). You usually don't pay admission fees for these cafés, but they request that you buy a drink while you sit there occupying a table to interact with the animals. It allows the shop to earn some money while letting you interact with these cute puppies/dogs.
I'm a BIG dog person. That means that I prefer those ginormous dogs to the small yappy ones. Honestly, even if they don't yap I prefer the bigger dogs. The kind that hurt your toes when they step on it. The kind that cause you to fall when they pounce on you in happiness. Since this was a puppy café, I wasn't too excited but still, cute doggies.
HOW TO GET HERE: Alight at Hongik University Station 홍대입구역 (Seoul Subway Line 2) and take Exit 9. Walk straight until you see the T.G.I.F. building. Turn left and go straight up the street until you see Hana Bank, which is across from the main gate of Hongik University. Go left and walk till you see "Ediya Coffee," and on the basement floor of the building on the right with a pink sign is "Puppy Cafe Sangsang Dabang."
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| This is the pink sign that you will see! Head down to the basement for the puppy café. |
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| Managed to hold onto this cutie pie schnauzer |
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| Awwww look at him and his puppy eyes.... |
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| This puppy has a baby blankey like most of us still do (don't deny it - I know you keep yours somewhere!) |
My verdict? These puppies are extremely adorable but if you'd like a larger variety and number of dogs, I suggest you check out Bau House instead. If you're comfortable with puppy sizes, then this place is for you. The café is slightly small, so if you visit when they're crowded, you might not get a seat. Chances are nobody would be leaving soon, since they only have to order 1 drink to stay there for as long as they want to.
Puppy Café Sangsang Dabang 상상다방 애견카페
343-6 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea | 서울시 마포구 서교동 343-6
Telephone: +82-2-337-1995
Website: http://cafe.naver.com/hongdapuppycafe (Korean only)
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2nd STOP: Café Jass - Hongdae Branch 카페자스 홍대본점
If you're a big fan of the We Got Married series and the YongSeo couple, you would know this café very well. Café Jass is located in Hongdae next to FNC Academy. (Yonghwa is an artiste under FNC Entertainment). The couple had their third and fifth date here. This café is well known as YongSeo Café until now. YongSeo International (YongSeo fanbase) set up a corner full of YongSeo stuff inside this café.
Please don't hate me for this, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I was a fan of Yonghwa, but not Seohyun (she's just not my kinda female idol). Jess said that this café had a cool concept, and since we were in Hongdae anyway, we decided to check it out.
OMG Jess and "Café Jass" haha I just realised this!
HOW TO GET HERE: Alight at Hongik University Station 홍대입구역 (Seoul Subway Line 2) and take Exit 2. Turn left and walk two blocks. Cross the street that you come to, heading to the right, then turn left the road between Pourtoi Bakery and Hana Bank. On the next block you'll see FNC Academy on your right side with Café Jass next to grocery store.
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| Borrowing this image from sweetpotatodays.blogspot.com to show you the shop's exterior. |
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| Love the wooden grunge look of the café with all its adorable knick knacks and childhood toys. |
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| Jess ordered waffles which came with a side of bananas! |
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| Nutcrackers! Always conflicted about owning them - they look so cool yet creepy at the same time. |
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| The YongSeo monument in the shop decorated by the fans. |
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| Little One Piece characters and figurines in one of the shelves. |
Café Jass - Hongdae Branch 카페자스 홍대본점
215 Migeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul | 서울시 서대문구 미근동 215
Telephone: +82 2-6083-5477 | Opening Hours: 8am-11.30pm (Weekdays), 10am-11pm (Weekends)
Website: http://www.cafejass.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafejass
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3rd (and final) STOP: Café aA: The Design Museum
A largely beautiful and interesting hipster café with absolute grunge. Part café, part designer furniture showroom. The shop has a rustic atmosphere paired excellently with class. There's quirky architecture, indoor and outdoor seating, as well as an "attic" seating area which is quieter and more discreet (overlooking the rest of the café). Since this was our last stop for the night, it was dark and we were dead exhausted (not to mention caffiene-overloaded for the day).
Being the cheapo that I am, I'm gonna say that the prices here are slightly expensive (can't lie about that).
Cafés in Seoul sell concept, remember that. Its the first commandment of Seoul Café Hopping. If they have awesome brews and food, that's your luck.
HOW TO GET HERE: Alight at Sangsu Station 상수역 (Seoul Subway Line 6) and take Exit 1. Turn right immediately and walk straight down Wausan-ro 와우산로. Turn left onto Wausan-ro 17-gil 와우산로17길 (where you see 7-Eleven). Continue straight until you see "Gr8 Hookah Bar" or "Bar Feline": turn left here and walk straight. You will arrive at your destination on the left. The shop name will not be Café aA, but rather it will be seen as aA: The Design Museum. You'll know it when you see it. All that concrete vibes.
TOURIST TIP:
Try not to take shortcuts unless you're absolutely certain they link up. That's how Jess and I got absolutely lost. If you're using google maps, trust the map. If google maps says that the route can't be mapped, trust the roads shown and follow them. Its better to take an extra 3-5 minutes to get there, then to get absolutely lost for 20 minutes.
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| Extremely overwhelmed with caffiene - so I bought an American Cheesecake. Meh. |
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| The ordering counter. |
Café aA: The Design Museum
408-11 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul | 서울시 마포구 서교동 408-11
Telephone: +82 2-3143-7312 | Opening Hours: 12pm-12am
Website: http://www.aadesignmuseum.com/en_cafe.html
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That's all for Day 4. Thanks for being so patient in reading this. I do hope it was helpful and informative.
Stay tuned to the next post where we check out Bukchon Traditional Village, get snowed into a traditional Korean restaurant and get trapped by heavy rain in a dog café in Myeongdong.
Do leave any comments, feedback or questions you have for me!
Till then,
Fly Safe and Eat Happy,
V
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