Introducing cafés of Hongdae 1

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[The Public = Yeonsoo Kim] While major commercial districts in Seoul are stagnating due to the prolonged COVID-19, areas mainly visited by the ‘MZ generation’ such as Cheongdam and Hongdae are recovering vacancy rate and regaining vitality.

The industry analyzes that the luxury consumption pattern of the MZ generation has had an impact on the recovery of the Cheongdam commercial district.

The perception that Cheongdam was a place for people in their 40s and 50s with high purchasing power was strong.

This atmosphere has however changed, as the psychological barriers to entry for luxury goods of the younger generation have been lowered since the pandemic.

Real estate consultants explained, “Cheongdam-dong was stagnant three to four years ago due to the withdrawal of brands due to a long-term recession and changes in the distribution structure, but recently, a number of flagship stores of global luxury brands have opened their doors, announcing the revival of the commercial district.”

Hongdae has a similar atmosphere. Hongdae's vacancy rate in the fourth quarter of last year was 14.1%, up 5.9% from the same period of the previous year, but it is showing a recovery trend as it fell 3.3% from the previous quarter.

This place also failed to avoid the pandemic crisis, but recently many stores targeting young consumers have opened and the floating population is recovering.

To revitalize Hongdae's demand, Mapo-gu, Seoul has produced a 'Mapo Tourism Promotional Video' that informs the world about the charm of Mapo.
This video contains world food that is concentrated in Yeonnam-dong, as well as restaurants and food that cannot be missed, such as 'Gongdeok-dong Jokbal Alley', 'Mapo Seagull Alley', 'Mangwon Market', and 'Cafe Street.'

This promotional video was produced with a total of 5 subtitles in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai. It can be found on YouTube, Mapo TV, Mapo-gu SNS, outdoor electronic signage, and etc.

If you recommend a place to visit after visiting the major tourist spots in Mapo-gu, I can say that it is definitely a cafe in Hongdae, a holy place for taking Instagram photos, which is attracting attention from the MZ generation.

Hongdae, the street of youth, is full of the latest trends in culture.

In this article, I will focus on introducing cafés with a good atmosphere.

1. Sand Coffee Nontanto
A Turkish Sand Coffee café where coffee is brewed using sand heat. The combination of acidity, cleanliness and softness makes for a pleasant teatime. For dessert, signature dessert Kaimak Toast is on sale. A must visit place if you love unique coffee.

2. 1984
Rather than calling it a café, it is a complex cultural space with bookstores, clothing stores, and select-shops. While enjoying a drink, you can browse the books for sale and browse unique miscellaneous goods. It is a place where you can experience a variety of experiences through one space beyond simply a personal café.

3. Amenohi Coffee Shop
Ameno-Hi means Rainy day in Japanese. It is a small café with only 4 tables for 2 people, and it is a café where you can enjoy teatime in a quiet atmosphere. It is also a cultural complex where Korean and Japanese indie musicians often perform.

4. Mint Heim
A popular spot for mint lovers all around the world. This is a café that I would definitely recommend to a mint chocolate lover or someone who is looking for special café. What makes it special is it starts with a mint-colored interior and every product contain mint chocolate or sole mint. They also sell chocolates and pretzels or other snacks in cute jar that can be bought as souvenirs. You can enjoy explosive sweetness with the combination of drinks and desserts.