Not Complete • 낫컴플리트

Stumbled upon Not Complete (낫컴플리트) by chance when I was exploring Hyehwa-dong (혜화동) during one summer day in June. It was quiet when I walked into the spacious cafe on the second story of a building in one of the alleyways in Hyehwa. The place was brightly lit by the natural lighting that shines through the windows surrounding the space and soft jazz music was playing in the background.

It was the cafe’s third week of soft opening so the place was pretty much brand new. First thing that came to mind after I sat down was this is a perfect place to read a book, do some work or to catch up with friends because, other than the occasional sound of the coffee machine brewing or water running from the kitchen, the noise level in this space is perfect for me who doesn’t really like noisy places. The cafe also have a good selections of coffee and non-coffee options as well as dessert and pastries on the menu. If you’re looking for a quiet cafe around Hyehwa area, this place is definitely worth to check out.

 

Not Complete • 낫컴플리트

Address: 서울 종로구 성균관로 12-5 1층 2층
Hours: Monday to Saturday 12:00-21:00. Closed on Sundays.

Instagram: @notcmplt

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Uhjjuhdah Promenade • 어쩌다산책

The first time I discovered Uhjjuhdah Promenade (어쩌다산책) which means ‘Strolling by Chance’ (cmiiw) was through Instagram. Saw somebody I followed posted a picture of their zen-like courtyard and I remember thinking “Wow, I didn’t know there’s this kind of place in Seoul”. So then this place immediately went to my Seoul-places-I-want-to-visit list.

Located near Hyehwa station (혜화역) at the heart of Daehag-ro (대학로), Uhjjuhdah Promenade (어쩌다산책) could easily fit to the hidden-gem category because finding this place wasn’t as easy as I thought it’d be. I followed the map to the location and arrived at the destination but saw no single sign of the place. I even rounded the block twice just to see if I went to the wrong side of the building. In the end, I found out that the bookstore cafe is located on the basement of the building.

As soon as I descended the stairs, I was greeted by the sight of the zen-garden inspired semi-outdoor courtyard I saw online. From the gravel, the rocks, the plants, and the lighting, everything about the courtyard definitely gives a sense of peace and calm to visitors who step into the space.

The indoor area itself is divided into two section, the bookstore section to the left of the entrance and the cafe section to the right. Once I stepped inside, I immediately realized that this is one of those quieter places that’s perfect for reading (it is a bookstore after all) or working. The cafe has two types of seating. One big communal table and smaller seating areas for solo visitors or small group.

The bookstore is very neat and well organized. I browsed through the shelves and saw most of the books (if not all) are Korean books.

Uhjjuhdah Promenade (어쩌다산책) is easily one of the nicest bookstore cafe that I’ve been to in Seoul. I came here during a weekday and the place was pretty quiet (not sure how busy it is during the weekend though). Even if you’re not looking to buy any books, I think this place is worth the visit just for its calming atmosphere.

Note: Photos were taken before the pandemic.

 

Uhjjuhdah Promenade • 어쩌다산책

Address: 서울 종로구 동숭길 101 지하 1층
Telephone: 02-747-7147
Hours: Everyday 12:00-21:00

Instagram: @ujd.promenade

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Blue Room • 블루룸

I frequent Hyehwa area (혜화동) quite a bit back when I was still living in Seoul. Haven’t been to the neighborhood for a while, I decided to pay the area a visit during one summer day in 2019 just to see if there are new places that have sprung up in the past couple of years. One thing I noticed right away was that the neighborhood has changed quite a bit. I didn’t recognize many of the buildings, restaurants, and cafe that I passed by and there seemed to be a lot of constructions going on to. I remember wondering if the turn around of businesses in this area was pretty quick.

After walking around the streets and alleys to see my options, I decided to get something cold and sweet after lunch at Blue Room (블루룸). The medium sized cafe sells coffee, non-coffee drinks, as well as alcohol. The concept carries through the interior where the space definitely feels like a cross between a bar and a cafe.

This is one of the thing that I actually like about Korea where you can find places that sell all kinds of beverages from alcoholic to non-alcoholic drinks all at the same place. It makes choosing a place to hang out with friends a little easier, especially for me who doesn’t drink coffee or alcohol often. And having the option to drink alcohol in places that don’t play blaring music like those in a club or a bar while having conversation with your companion without having to shout is really something that I actually quite like.

Anyway, I ordered their Strawberry latte (딸기라떼) which was okay and spent a good hour at the cafe just chillin’ and escaping the heat outside with other strangers who probably had the same idea. It was a summer day after all and what better way to spend it other than being indoors in an air conditioned cafe, right?

Here’s the video of the place:

Note: These photos and video were taken before the pandemic.

 

Blue Room • 블루룸

Address: 서울 종로구 대명1길 16-7 1층
Telephone: 010-8030-0427
Hours: Tue-Fri 13:00-22:00 | Weekend 12:00-00:00 | Close on Mondays

Instagram: @_blueroom

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Salmon Dinner

Salmon is probably my favorite fish, especially when it comes to sushi/sashimi. Been craving for sushi these past few days for some odd reason. So here's a quick short post on my visit to a Japanese restaurant around Hyehwa (혀화) Neighborhood. Hope everybody have a good weekend!

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Mo' Better Blues Cafe

What do you do to unwind? For me, reading and listening to music is one way to do it. Jazz in particular can give me that relieve of tension when I needed one. Of all the cafes I've visited so far here in Seoul, Mo' Better Blues Cafe probably has one of the better jazz playlists playing in their cafe. It's not necessarily new musics, lots of them are from the times I grew up or even way before that—the classic jazz songs—but nevertheless, it gave me a nice sense of familiarity in this city that's still fairly unfamiliar to me. 

A little about the place, the whole cafe is actually bigger than what I imagined. They have 4 floors, but I think they only open all floors during busier times. They have good selection of drinks and snacks. And the place is good for a study place as well, unless you run into a bunch of noisy high school girls which I did. Even so, you can escape that by trying to go to another floor if that happens to you. The cafe also has a patio area on the first floor which can be used even during winter (they turned up the heater pretty high in there).

With that said, now I'm going to make myself a cup of hot cocoa, listen to some jazz, and unwind. Hope everybody is having a great week so far :)

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