IN THE past, cafés in South Korea were places one would go to listen to music or to go on blind dates while enjoying a cup of brewed coffee. As caffeinated drinks became more prevalent and accessible, cafés emerged as the primary area of casual social gatherings. Nowadays, café owners are looking to elevate their shops to the next level, challenging the conventional functions of cafés by transforming them into spaces that offer a multitude of activities suiting the various needs of their customers. One can experience the growing diversity of cafés by visiting these three distinctive coffee shops around Seoul.

Me-in counseling café

   Located in Jongno-gu, the Me-in counseling café is a place where you can dive into the depth of your subconscious. Me-in exudes a professional yet relaxing atmosphere with neatly arranged chairs and tables, paintings displayed along the seats, and shelves filled with various psychology books. There are two menus available: one for food and drinks, and the other for the café’s counseling services, which consist of psychological counseling and psychological testing. The first option, psychological counseling, can be conducted individually or in a group with a friend, family member, or significant other. The alternative, psychological testing, includes emotional aromatherapy[1] and self-report inventory testing[2]. The self-report inventory test incorporates an “ego-gram,” a self-awareness tool that attempts to reveal one’s personality and sense of identity.

   If you decide to take the self-report inventory test, the owner will hand over three sheets of paper and provide specific instructions needed to complete the test. After finishing all the questionnaires, the counselor assists in combining the results to create a final result sheet, which they will use to construct an analytical commentary of your mental state. Through this process, you will be able to discover your persona, which will quench your thirst for greater self-knowledge.

Address: 53-1, Jahamun-ro, Cheongunhyoja-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00 from Monday to Thursday, 12:00-19:00 on Saturdays and Sundays (Closed on Fridays)

Prices: ₩30,000 for emotional aromatherapy and psychological testing, ₩70,000 for individualized psychological counseling, and ₩100,000 for group psychological counseling

Shim Story

   Shim Story is located in Gangnam, one of Seoul’s most crowded and fast-paced city centers. In Korean, Shim means “to rest”—as the name suggests, the café aims to provide a comfortable and “healing” place of relaxation for people who lead busy lives on the daily. In fact, employees working in the nearby offices make up the main customer base for Shim Story. Shim Story pairs a drink with an entrance pass for one of its four distinct spaces, each of them designed to cater to the different needs of its customers.

   The first space is called Shim-ma-ru, where a cushy collection of couches and beanbags greet those looking to comfortably lounge around. One can bring their laptop for work or simply choose to relax with an individual TV set that the café provides. Next is Kkum-ma-ru, which offers a collection of cozy rooms with a bed and adjustable lighting, making it a perfect area to indulge in a quick nap. In Si won ma ru, you can unwind by lying comfortably on a massage chair, feeling all your piled-up tension slowly melt away. For those who want to enjoy a typical café experience, Dae hwa ma ru is the place to go. Here, customers can share a conversation while sipping on coffee; books and board games are also available for use.

Address: 17, Yeoksam-ro 3-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Opening Hours: 10:00-22:30

Prices: ₩8,000 for 1-hour use of Kkum-ma-ru, ₩7,000 for 1-hour use of Shim-ma-ru, ₩11,000 for 1-hour use of Si won ma ru, ₩4,000 for 1-hour use of Dae hwa ma ru

Nuldam Space

   Near one of Seoul’s landmarks, Gyeong-bok-gung palace, is a café with a unique postal office that delivers letters to one’s future self. Along with food and drinks, customers can order a letter set consisting of one postal card, an envelope, and sealing wax. After collecting the necessary materials from the counter, one can walk up a wooden spiral staircase to the upper floor, where vibrantly colored incense holders, homely decors, and clocks are displayed.

   Taking a seat at one of the modern tables, one can get a peek at the picturesque view of traditional Korean buildings against the backdrop of distant mountains and lush greenery. While enjoying this scenery, you can begin writing a letter for a very special recipient: your future self. The café provides a quiet and serene ambiance where individuals can focus solely on composing their messages,  filling the spaces of their postcards with philosophical reflections on life challenges, gnawing thoughts, and, perhaps, hopeful anticipations for the days to come. The act of writing to your future self provides a valuable opportunity to envision the possible changes in your life, and the idea of receiving a long-forgotten letter from yourself in a year’s time evokes a sense of excitement. Once the letter is completed and ready to be sealed, you can gently melt the sealing wax using the warmth of the candle and stamp it with the Nuldam logo.

   On the wall of the first floor, there are 365 compartments, each labeled with the month and date of the year. The whole process is complete after placing the sealed envelope within the compartment corresponding to the date you wish to receive the letter next year, in 2023.

Address: 24, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Opening Hours: 10:00-21:30

Prices: ₩4,000 for a letter set

[1] Emotional aromatherapy: Use of essential oils and aromatic scents in psychological therapy

[2] Self-report inventory: A self-rating psychological test in which a person completes a survey without the supervision of an expert