When we were in Gyeongju for the long weekend we found a wonderful little cafe called Yan's (the owner's name). We stumbled across this little family-run place accidentally while looking for another cafe. With it's second-floor balcony catching the afternoon sun we nested there for a couple hours to drink hand-dripped coffee and plan our hiking route for the following day.
From the minute we entered the cafe, I loved it. None of the corporate franchise big chain regularity that Seoul offers on every street corner. Just a nice lady behind the wooden counter packing coffee beans, Eric Clapton on the stereo and no other customers.
After ordering a Guatemala and Costa Rica coffees (how cultured are we??) we basked in the afternoon sun appreciating our find. Soon after, the owner, who is also the husband of the lady who served us, came out to introduce himself. A "cool dude" in all senses. Long hair tied back in a pony tail, though a little thin on top, he had the charisma of an old rock star. He cheerfully chatted with us in broken English while his wife brought the coffee and a big plate of cookies.
An hour later they brought us come complimentary iced coffee to ease our growing sunburn. And we lounged there quite contentedly until dinner time.
A couple of days later we returned to spend a rainy afternoon there drinking hot coffee and relaxing before our long bus journey back to Seoul. However, when we arrived the cafe was closed and no signs were visable indicating opening hours. We were so disappointed that 'our' cafe was closed. But with three hours to kill until our bus and no energy to be tourists we needed to find a suitable alternative. Dunkin donuts looked uninviting, but after five minutes exploring we'd found nothing else. Just as despair was kicking in I heard a car slow down and Tyler started talking to someone. It was Yan, the cafe owner! Where are you going, he asked me. To your cafe, I said, but it's closed (and I did my "disappointment face" which is internationally understandable). He told us that they open at one on Sundays, but he'll take us there now (12:30). So we climbed aboard his cool red SUV and hit the cafe where is wife was just opening up. It felt like a home away from home climbing out of his car and up the steps to be greeted by his wife.
We settled down for a couple of hours and drank more delicious and super strong coffee to keep the rainy day chills away. Again we were adorned with extra cups of coffee and plates of cokies. Both Yan and his wife took time to ask about us, our lives in Korea and out hoome countries. And they also told us about their cafe, and daughter, who joins them each weekend night to play live music with her dad for the customers. Aside from the big vinyl record collection there was an allocated space with a few guitars, keyboard, other bits and bobs and a tiny stage.
My two Korean class friends later joined us to escape the rain and also got a hearty warm welcome. I really enjoyed being there. It wasn't just the free extra coffee or special attention I liked. Rather I felt as though they were just really nice people who weren't in the business just for the money. I really enjoyed meeting Yan and his wife and hope their business is successful and they are always as happy as they seemed to me.
From the minute we entered the cafe, I loved it. None of the corporate franchise big chain regularity that Seoul offers on every street corner. Just a nice lady behind the wooden counter packing coffee beans, Eric Clapton on the stereo and no other customers.
After ordering a Guatemala and Costa Rica coffees (how cultured are we??) we basked in the afternoon sun appreciating our find. Soon after, the owner, who is also the husband of the lady who served us, came out to introduce himself. A "cool dude" in all senses. Long hair tied back in a pony tail, though a little thin on top, he had the charisma of an old rock star. He cheerfully chatted with us in broken English while his wife brought the coffee and a big plate of cookies.
An hour later they brought us come complimentary iced coffee to ease our growing sunburn. And we lounged there quite contentedly until dinner time.
A couple of days later we returned to spend a rainy afternoon there drinking hot coffee and relaxing before our long bus journey back to Seoul. However, when we arrived the cafe was closed and no signs were visable indicating opening hours. We were so disappointed that 'our' cafe was closed. But with three hours to kill until our bus and no energy to be tourists we needed to find a suitable alternative. Dunkin donuts looked uninviting, but after five minutes exploring we'd found nothing else. Just as despair was kicking in I heard a car slow down and Tyler started talking to someone. It was Yan, the cafe owner! Where are you going, he asked me. To your cafe, I said, but it's closed (and I did my "disappointment face" which is internationally understandable). He told us that they open at one on Sundays, but he'll take us there now (12:30). So we climbed aboard his cool red SUV and hit the cafe where is wife was just opening up. It felt like a home away from home climbing out of his car and up the steps to be greeted by his wife.
We settled down for a couple of hours and drank more delicious and super strong coffee to keep the rainy day chills away. Again we were adorned with extra cups of coffee and plates of cokies. Both Yan and his wife took time to ask about us, our lives in Korea and out hoome countries. And they also told us about their cafe, and daughter, who joins them each weekend night to play live music with her dad for the customers. Aside from the big vinyl record collection there was an allocated space with a few guitars, keyboard, other bits and bobs and a tiny stage.My two Korean class friends later joined us to escape the rain and also got a hearty warm welcome. I really enjoyed being there. It wasn't just the free extra coffee or special attention I liked. Rather I felt as though they were just really nice people who weren't in the business just for the money. I really enjoyed meeting Yan and his wife and hope their business is successful and they are always as happy as they seemed to me.
2 comments:
Hope to find the coffee place when I take a trip to GyeongJu. It would be awesome!
Cool.
If you're going, send me a message and I can give you the address and phone number.
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