Early this morning, I headed out for a walk along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park. But before any walk, coffee comes first — so I stopped by Ikou, a café that opens early in the morning.
Ikou
Today I ordered the filter coffee, made with this month’s featured bean — Colombia Caturra Natural. The cup notes were red wine, cinnamon, and cherry cola: a coffee with nice acidity and a clear berry character. The portion was almost too small — I wished there was more.
The coffee cup itself was pretty, too.
This café feels like it’s run by someone with a real background in art. Sensitive-looking ceramics and exhibition postcards are tucked around the space. The candlesticks have a really unique color, and the bowl next to them is just as vivid, with intricate patterns.
The table here has a very unique design too — it gave me the feeling it might have come from somewhere in the West. The large table in the center, with its unbalanced pattern, and the mismatched chairs around it, made for an interesting combination. The corners of the table can fold, so the owner warned me in advance not to put weight on them or leave things sitting there. But being the forgetful person I am, I set something down without thinking — and it fell. Still, it’s a table with a fun, distinctive color sense.
The lighting seemed to be all indirect, but with the large windows letting in so much natural light, the café doesn’t really need much lighting of its own.
That vase also seemed like it could be some artist’s work — its geometric pattern and sense of dimension stood out.
The carpet on the floor and the sofa share a harmonious color palette — both in beige tones, giving the space a real sense of unity.
These chairs, which almost look like twins, are also very distinctive — the wooden bodies and steel legs give them a fresh, material contrast.
That elephant statue gives off a vibe you’d expect to find somewhere in India or Thailand. Props like that can sometimes look a bit tacky if placed carelessly, but here, the elephant doesn’t feel out of place at all.
It’s a space with plenty to look at in every corner, while still keeping an overall sense of balance.
As time passed, sunlight began to pour in — and the shadows cast by the light on the objects around the room felt like objects of their own.
In the kitchen sat a variety of colorful, dimensional mugs. The owner said they’re cups collected from various places, each one meaningful.
Ikou is a space where the owner’s sense of taste really shines through — a good place to enjoy delicious filter coffee while soaking in the morning sunlight.
After a short walk, I met up with a friend who lives nearby, and we went for lunch — at a restaurant recommended by my friend.
Info about ikou
Address: 17, Baekbeom-ro 15-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hours: 8 AM–7 PM Mon–Thu, closed Friday, 8 AM–8 PM weekends
Price range: 4,500–8,000 KRW
Okjeong (Lunch)
On a chilly day, mandu-guk (dumpling soup) really hit the spot. The kimchi dumplings were clean-tasting, mild in a way that reminded me of my mom’s cooking. The broth was so refreshing I practically drank the whole bowl. My friend said it’s the kind of taste you think about once you’re back home — and I’m already missing it.
After lunch, we headed to a nearby coffee spot — Biroso Coffee.
Info about Okjeong
Address: 106, Sinsu-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hours: 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, weekdays only, last order 2 PM
Price range: 11,000–15,000 KRW
Biroso Coffee
They offer filter coffee made from a range of beans, and the house beans can be chosen by profile — acidic, nutty, or decaf. Being a specialty coffee shop, they also sell a variety of beans to take home, priced around 14,000–19,000 KRW per 200g (except for one).
The display case had some good-looking desserts ready to go, and they also sell goods and various drip bags.
Since it’s winter, I ordered a warm latte. It was smooth. I’d picked a bean with more acidity that day, so the coffee flavor came through a bit less than I’d hoped — next time I have a latte here, I’ll go with a nuttier bean instead.
The café spans two floors, so the space is large with plenty of tables. The bar and kitchen areas are spacious too, and the stainless-steel counter top on the bar gives the whole place a cleaner feel. The big windows let in plenty of sunlight.
Upstairs, there are even more tables and seats. It was a weekday, so there were plenty of open spots — but on weekends, this place is popular enough that seats can run out entirely. The upstairs windows are large too, giving a nice sense of openness and a good view outside.
The tables and chairs have a neat, tidy feel, and with the white walls, the whole space gives off a clean impression. The ceiling fan adds a touch more atmosphere. On the way up to the second floor, there’s a speaker placed against a section of exposed rough wall — a nice way to make use of that texture. The black stair railing has an exotic, stylish touch.
Biroso (비로소) is a Korean adverb that means something close to “only now” or “finally” — the word for when something has at last come together the way it was meant to. Whether the name was chosen with that full weight in mind or just because it sounded right, the coffee here backs it up.
Info Biroso coffee
Address: 42, Gwangseong-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hours: 10 AM–10 PM
Price range: 4,500–9,000 KRW