To the west of Gyeongbokgung Palace lies Seochon Village. It’s a hanok village in Seochon that offers a different view from the Bukchon Hanok Village to the east of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
However, finding a large area with hanok buildings gathered together, like in Bukchon Hanok Village, is quite rare. Hanok buildings are scattered throughout the area, and if you wander through the alleyways, you may come across cafes housed in renovated hanok spaces.
“Hanok Cafe in Seochon Village, Bear Cafe”
Bear Cafe is a hanok cafe you can find in Seochon Village. Unlike typical hanok cafes or hanok hotels, Bear Cafe can be considered relatively spacious.
The entrance resembles the gate of a Western-style building, and upon passing through, you’ll see a charming hanok building with a courtyard.
The hanok building is quite spacious, and its layout forms a “ㄷ” shape, allowing for various uses of the space. There are areas with tables, as well as spaces displaying books, magazines, and stationery. This gives the cafe an atmosphere reminiscent of a small independent bookstore.
“A Hanok Cafe with a Courtyard”
The hanok building is fairly large, and due to its “ㄷ” shape, it makes good use of the courtyard space. The courtyard is even adorned with a small garden, making it a great place to spend leisurely time in the hanok building. Thanks to this, it’s a wonderful spot to take a break and enjoy a stroll through Seochon Village with a loved one.
“Operated by the Design Publishing Company ‘Design Eum'”
Bear Cafe is operated by the design publishing company ‘Design Eum.’ The name ‘Bear Cafe’ seems to have originated from the ‘Bear Magazine,’ which is also published by the same company.
As a result, in some spaces within the hanok cafe, you can see exhibitions of magazines published by the company, including Bear Magazine and Kinfolk Magazine, as well as general publications and independent publications.
“Reasonable Drink Prices”
The drink prices are relatively reasonable. Starting at 4,500 won for an Americano, it’s not significantly different from Starbucks in terms of price.
On this visit, I ordered a “Salted Cream Latte,” which was priced at 6,000 won. However, I was left with a lot of disappointment as the amount of coffee was too small for the price.
It was about half the amount typically served in other regular cafes, leaving much to be desired in terms of quantity. While the coffee was a bit disappointing, I believe the real charm of this place lies in spending time in a hanok building rather than just having a cup of coffee. This is a space more suitable for appreciating the special atmosphere unique to hanok cafes.
“Seoul Seochon Village, Hyoja-dong Hanok Cafe, Bear Cafe”
- Address: 24 Jahaun-ro 24-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- Phone: 070-7775-8001
- Operating Hours: (Wed-Sun) 11:00 – 19:00
- Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.