Clearly I have visited only a handful of what must be hundreds of coffee places in Seoul. Many of which are unique, cute, quirky, cool, strange and what have you.
So what makes this particular cafe the coolest? Let me show you:
HoHo Myoll is a small cafe not far from Hongik University, that I stumbled upon when exploring this neighborhood. It was love at first sight. I cannot imagine anything cuter and cooler then this coffee hang out!
It’s one of those places that makes me instantly wanna live there;-).
Walking by, it is easily overlooked, especially in the colder season, like now.
In summer the front of the cafe is opened and seats are placed outside, making it more visible. Now it’s only the fake grass and funny signs that make you stop and have a second look.
 |
| Grey cat, guitar, coffee…yes, three key elements of HoHo Myoll cafe for sure. |
That’s when you see the vintage VW van inside!
The van is ‘parked’ so close to the shopfront, that for a second I wondered how and where to get in. But the door is right in front of it’s nose, leaving you just enough room to enter.
Inside the ambience is warm, cute and homely. The music they play is very pleasant and the decor is just wow. That is, if you like kitsch, knick-knacks, humor and color in a decor. And a real VolksWagen, of course. Oh, and cats.
|
| I know, people have different tastes. If you are a minimalist -Less is More- then this is not the place for you. You would probably find it messy and cluttered. For me this is not clutter, since I am a More is More person. For me this is a treasure trove, a wonderland, a museum. Every inch holds a surprise for me to discover. |
|
| I used to have a stove/heater like this when I was studying! |
Cats?
Yes, HoHo Myoll is named after Myoll, a grey, pretty cat that lives in the cafe.
So besides VW memorabilia, there are grey and black cat items all over the place. As are a few guitars. And small dolls. And sketchbooks and crayons.
|
| Black cat with piano teeth. Things like this make me happy and bring a smile to my face. |
|
| Black cats holding this plateau. Icebear as paperweight for the napkins. Cute! |
The VW is refurbished, providing seats and tables for cafe visitors.
|
| ET is looking out the window. |
|
| This VW van is like a discovery island, filled with surprises. |
And it makes a great hide-out for Myoll, to enjoy hours of peaceful sleep.
|
| The van’s biggest treasure and surprise is of course Myoll, sleeping in the van. |
|
| “Yeah, allright, you found me, sleeping under my disco lights. No go away, human, and let me continue to sleep.” |
|
| Disco-kitsch trunk; love! |
In the back of the cafe, a split-level is built, creating intimate work-nooks for cafe-guests.
|
| It does not get much cozier then this. |
|
| I love these diorama-like cut-outs! |
Oh, and they have coffee too! Hahaha…
Flanel drip (dunno what it is, but it sounds delicious, doesn’t it?) , made by a real Barista Master.
(Yes, it tasted great, thanks for asking.)
I made a small video, to let you feel the ambiance better, hearing the music and all.
Bare with me, folks, since I am not an experienced video maker at all. Which shows, since I did not think to tilt my smartphone to achieve a landscape video:-(.
Next time better. I will learn, I hope at least;-).
As to be expected I am not the only or first one to have found this lovely cafe and to be smitten on it. I particularly liked this post by Falling in Light. Her pictures are fantastic!
How to get there:
Sangsu Station, Line 6, exit 2. Turn right down the street, keep walking. Cafe HoHo Myoll will be on your right.
What do you think of this cafe? Is it your cup of tea, uh, coffee? Where is the nicest coffee joint you ever been to? What was so great about it?
Seems like I would love this cafe too! Looks cozy, so many interesting details, cats and plus good coffee!
How cool would it be if we could have a coffee and a chat there together, Olga!
I would love to go there with you.
Greetje
Oh, yes, Greetje, to have our cappuccino and chat and fun in here, that would be so lovely!