On a ninth day, we're going out from guesthouse around 09:15 am in the morning. I decide to hang out the half day at Hongdae area since I need to cover some of the caf̩ and also the stores around Hongdae area Рjust for my blog project as know as #Caf̩Series and #UniqueStore. I really like this kind of project and I will be continuing to make these project during my trip in the future.
The first café I went on this day is Arriate Café (아리아떼) or know as Flower Café in Hongdae. The café I went is the second branch in Hongdae area. If not mistaken the first branch of Arriate Café (아리아떼) is located in the Gangnam area. The most attraction of this café is the wonderful decoration of the drain flowers and also fresh flowers. The operation hours of this Hongdae branch is 24 hours, which mean it's never close – if I not mistake about that info.
Actually, this café is located in first until third floors in this building. The order counter is located on the first floor and you can hang out at the second and third in this café. Every corner is full of dried flowers. They also sell the fresh flowers and dried flowers on the first floor. On that moment, I feel I want to buy some flowers to take at home but I know its sound difficult to take it to my home at Kuala Lumpur. I don't think I can bring it together with me on the plane.
Then, we're move to the Stylenanda Pink Pool Café Flagship Store in Hongdae. Before this, I have been visited the Stylenanda Pink Hotel Flagship Store in Myeongdong on the fourth day during my trip. Lucky during that time, Stylenanda just makes announcement about their new café of Pink Pool Café that located on the fourth floor of the Stylenanda Flagship Store in Hongdae. The operation hours are from 11:00 am until 23:00 pm on every day.
The concept of this café is bakery and coffee, but it does still maintain the pink pool concept too. Not to be surprised, its have actual pool in this café. The interior of this café is almost same with Parisian Café concept; which is minimal, simple, marble, classic and elegant, but the main color in this café is pink like this café's name.
After that, we get chance to visit the unique store of Chuu Flagship Store. This store just located the opposite of Stylenanda Flagship Store in Hongdae. I like the concept of this store; which is cute, pink, elegant, and also minimal. Every floor has a different concept. Most of the price is reasonable for me. I'm pretty sure; I will visit this store again when I'm going to Seoul in future.
On the late afternoon, we're hangout at the Kakao Friends Flagship Store in Hongdae. It's located just nearby of the Hongik University Station, you easy to recognize this store when you going out from Exit 8 or 9. Everything in this store is about Kakao Friends and I never miss the chance to drink coffee at the Ryan Café. It's just located on the third floor of the same building of the Kakao Friends Flagship Store in Hongdae. The interior of this café is almost about Ryan. Every corner has Ryan items like Ryan lamps on the table.
I decide to go back off to our guesthouse, just to leave our things before we're going to Gangnam area. But on the way to the guesthouse, I saw the Olive and Young Store just beside the Kakao Friends Flagship Store in Hongdae. This store looks like quite big too so I look around in this store. I saw a few Korean skincare and cosmetics brands that I want to try so I bought a few brands in this store. Lucky, this store also provides the Immediate Tax Refund for tourists.
This evening, it's raining at the Seoul area. Then, we're moving to the SUM Celebrity Café and Restaurant for our dinner. The SM Entertainment (SME) was opened the café and restaurant as called as Celebrity SUM Café. In the same building, it's also having a SUM Market; which fans can buy all the merchandise that is related to SME artist. The operation hours are from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm on every day.
The interior of this café looks like luxury, elegant, minimal, marble, gold and pink. Most of it, I like this concept. I feel like totally my style. It's pretty good place to hang out with friends or family, or maybe have relax meeting in here.
Since raining is still non stop on that evening so I decided to change our itinerary. After dinner, we're going to the Kyobo Bookstore in Jongno-gu. This is one of the big bookstores in Seoul. I never miss my chance to buy the Korean books since I'm back to Seoul, Korea. It's my favorite things to do in Seoul, Korea.
Address: 1, Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 종로구 종로 1 (종로1가)).
Direction: [Subway] Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), Exit 4. (Recommend using the under path directly connected to the station).
Then, we're going back to our guesthouse and rest. Actually, I already start packing my luggage before I don't have to do so on next day. Just a little preparation. Our snack on night is eating some fruits that we're bought from Jeju Island - like kiwi and persimmon.
