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Cafe Hopping

FELT

23, Seogang-ro 11-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul Sogang University 08:00-18:00; weekends 11:00-18:00 Less is more
FELT is located near Sogang University. It used The design inside is simple, only wood color besides black
to be a piano studio, now FELT still its original facade. and white; the colors make the stereo and record machine more
Although on the outside it is not noticeable, their dazzling, which plays jazz. This minimalistic style (even no tables)
equipment is not amateur at all, having all specialty brings the most intuitive coffee experience; this was exactly
coffee gears inside. Once you open the door, you can FELT’s original idea. They hope that this way customers will be
see a white Slayer along with EK43 grinder, very nice able to focus on coffee itself, while enjoying its mix with the
and clean. FELT doesn’t offer desserts; they only sell music. One of the founders of FELT, Kim Yeong Hyeon, is
coffee and beans. Despite opening only about one awarded as the best of the best in South Korean coffee society.
year ago, FELT is already famous among the local Long before FELT was founded, he and his partner, Song Daxiong,
people. The average amount of sold cups per day is founded the roastery-café, Mad Coffee, and it has already gained
around 150 cups or more. popularity in South Korea and abroad.

Bean Brothers

35-1, Tojeong-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul Hapjeong 11:00-23:00 Brotherhood coffee bar

Located close to Hongik University, Bean Brothers That is how they founded ABLESQUARE together,
was once transformed from an abandoned wine warehouse the predecessor of Bean Brothers.
to a coffee and culture space. Big revolving glass door, Now, Bean Brothers has six stores in Seoul,
triangle shaped open-bar, the bar lets baristas to com- five of them opened in 2014. The first store was
municate and to take care of the customers at the same opened in Hapjeong-dong with a “Dynamic, whole-
time. Despite the whole simple steel concrete design, this sale, People” concept, it has bakery and roasting
unique combination doesn’t seem dull at all. studios and coffee educational equipment. BK from
Three founders got to known each other Fritz Coffee Company is responsible for recom-
through entrepreneurship association in college; in mending raw beans to Bean Brothers; three types
order to imply knowledge they have learned, they of beans in store are named after three famous
needed to find a constant meeting place. While they writers. Bean Brothers is not just a gathering point
were trying to find a proper place, they realized for coffee, it also has a whole section designed for
there was not any private space for group meetings. books, Bean Brothers combines coffee with culture.

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