By Hallie Jeon
Cafes have taken Korea by storm over the past decade. In cities, it is impossible to walk a block without encountering at least one coffee shop, whether it is part of a giant chain or a mom-and-dad operation.This trend has caused enormous competition in the world of coffee.
To differentiate themselves, entrepreneurs and shop owners are coming up with creative ideas to make their businesses stand out. The result is that a simple "coffee break" in Seoul can mean anything, quite literally.
Want to pat a furry animal while sipping a latte? No problem. Would you rather hear about your future from a fortune teller? That can be done, too.
Here is our list of unique coffee houses in the nation's capital that encapsulate Korea's love of fun cafe experiences.
Pet cafes
If being called a "crazy cat lady" hurts your feelings, this is the perfect place for you. Pet cafes have been around for almost 15 years and remain one of the most popular themes. Seoul's Hongdae and Myeondong districts have the highest concentration of such shops, but they are easy to find elsewhere.
Customers must typically buy a drink (7,000-10,000 won) or snack, and are then allowed to play with a cat or dog in a beautiful and safe environment. These cafes usually specialize in one animal.
If you happen to fall in love with the pet you are holding, ask if it is up for adoption. The cafes often take care of abandoned animals, so adoptions from are sometimes welcomed to make room for more animals.
One popular dog cafe chain is Bau House (bau.cyworld.com), which has multiple locations including in Hongdae and Dongdaemun, Seoul.
Fish Pedicure Cafe
"Namu Guneul" (www.restree.net) has become a tourist attraction because of its unique service called "Dr. Fish." The cafe has a pool with tiny fish, known as "skin care fish" that nibble the dead skin cells off your feet. For a paltry 3000 won, you are guaranteed a neat, ticklish pedicure from these hard-working fish, which are glad to feast on your feet.
If that is not enough, the cafe offers free coffee refills and unlimited bread.
Air Cafe
Do you love high-quality in-flight meals or traveling in general? Air Cafe (theaircafe.alldaycafe.kr) in Hongdae is dedicated to everything about traveling. It is filled with travel-related materials such as model planes, travelers' magazines and exotic souvenirs from around the world.
You can choose from "in-flight menus" from actual airlines. Select your meals based on your "class," such as economy, and grab a table by the window with in-flight-type seats for the full flying experience.
‘Tarot' cafes
Tarot cards are the most popular form of fortune-telling in Seoul. Also known as "saju cafes" these businesses offer a variety of services to help you "look into the future." They are easy to spot in popular leisure districts such as Myeongdong, Gangnam and Hongdae.
Saju is a traditional Korean way of guessing one's fortune based on your exact time of birth. A customer chooses as element of life, such as career or relationships, and pays around 10,000 won to hear his or her fortune. Each session is timed and sometimes the number of questions permitted is limited. Make sure to have your questions ready
.
Cafes have taken Korea by storm over the past decade. In cities, it is impossible to walk a block without encountering at least one coffee shop, whether it is part of a giant chain or a mom-and-dad operation.This trend has caused enormous competition in the world of coffee.
To differentiate themselves, entrepreneurs and shop owners are coming up with creative ideas to make their businesses stand out. The result is that a simple "coffee break" in Seoul can mean anything, quite literally.
Want to pat a furry animal while sipping a latte? No problem. Would you rather hear about your future from a fortune teller? That can be done, too.
Here is our list of unique coffee houses in the nation's capital that encapsulate Korea's love of fun cafe experiences.
Pet cafes
 |
Customers must typically buy a drink (7,000-10,000 won) or snack, and are then allowed to play with a cat or dog in a beautiful and safe environment. These cafes usually specialize in one animal.
If you happen to fall in love with the pet you are holding, ask if it is up for adoption. The cafes often take care of abandoned animals, so adoptions from are sometimes welcomed to make room for more animals.
One popular dog cafe chain is Bau House (bau.cyworld.com), which has multiple locations including in Hongdae and Dongdaemun, Seoul.
Fish Pedicure Cafe
 |
If that is not enough, the cafe offers free coffee refills and unlimited bread.
Air Cafe
 |
You can choose from "in-flight menus" from actual airlines. Select your meals based on your "class," such as economy, and grab a table by the window with in-flight-type seats for the full flying experience.
‘Tarot' cafes
 |
Saju is a traditional Korean way of guessing one's fortune based on your exact time of birth. A customer chooses as element of life, such as career or relationships, and pays around 10,000 won to hear his or her fortune. Each session is timed and sometimes the number of questions permitted is limited. Make sure to have your questions ready
.
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