Retro is a walk down memory lane for the seniors but a fresh new concept to the youngsters! Recently, a new retro wave has swept across Seoul as plenty of retro-styled cafes and restaurant rose to social media fame. This phenomenon has brought to the rise of the Newtro trend. Newtro captures both the New and the Retro, making up the latest trending pop culture.
Euljiro
Talking about Newtro, we definitely canโt miss out Euljiro. Lately, Euljiro is so popular as a hipster hot spot that people have begun to call it โHipjiroโ (ํ์ง๋ก). Narrow alleys with old pipes and wires, broken window wall worn by the passage of time have been attracting young people to visit here for some cool photo shoots. Euljiro is no doubt a perfect place to feel the old raw nostalgic ambience of Seoul.
If you are a retro lover, the place that I am going to introduce in my remaining blog would be a perfect fit for you!
Coffee Hanyakbang
Coffee Hanyakbang ์ปคํผํ์ฝ๋ฐฉ is a retro style coffee shop located in the Euljiro area. What is so special about Coffee Hanyakbang is that the coffee shop is well-hidden in a narrow alley behind of shabby buildings. It is so hard to believe that there is hidden gem inside the alley. It definitely does not look like something you would happen to walk into.
The cafe is named after the word โHanyakbangโ (ํ์ฝ๋ฐฉ), which means traditional Korean medicine pharmacy. Just like its name, the cafe serves thick, strong and pungent brewed coffee in an earnest manner.
The shop is well-known for serving hand drip coffee at reasonable price. You can find the coffee beans are being roasted at the corner of the coffee shop, filling the space with a great coffee aroma!
We had cafe latte and mocha latte. Both taste good and smooth!
The retro style interior brought me back in time, as if I’ve taken a time warp back to the 90s. There are a lot of antiques on display in the shop. Antique furniture like cabinets, tables, chairs, as well as wall panels complete the atmosphere. The space seems to be out of the modern world.
The Chinese decors exudes a strong old Shanghai nostalgic atmosphere.
Every corner of the cafe is perfect for your Instagrammable photos!
Overall, this is a perfect cafe to experience the old Korea and have your right cup of coffee~! I highly recommend this place for those who enjoy a retro atmosphere!
How to get there?
Walk out from Euljiro 3(sam)-ga Station (Subway Line 2, Exit 1). Coffee Hanyakbang is 6 minutes walking distance from the station.
Address: 16-6 Samil-daero 12-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Read more: One of The Most Instagrammable Hidden Gem in Seoul โ Arc N Book!
