iReport: Seoul's independent coffee culture

Seoul's rapid expansion and modernization over the last few decades has meant a lot of things -- both good and bad -- for the city. Putting more serious issues aside for a moment, one of the perks of this expansion, no pun intended, has been the enormous number of cafés and coffee shops popping up around the city.

International chains such as Coffee Bean heavily populate Seoul, often with multiple locations on the same block or across the street from one another; Korean chains such as Holly's, Angel-in-us, and Caffe Bene are no slouches either, with multiple-story cafes opening all over the city.

Based on the crowd and location, these coffee shops tend to cater towards students and the young set who frequent areas near the city's numerous universities. They are also beginning to be a popular alternate office option for young laptop-toting professionals.

The independents 

In the last few years however, the stars of the Seoul coffee house scene have been the independents, each one fighting to be not the biggest, but the most innovative, best tasting and most inviting. These motives have created a genuinely amazing selection of spaces to eat, drink, caffeinate, or simply hang out and enjoy the scene.

The independents tend to offer all the standard perks: your choice of street-side views or secluded booths, waffles and whipped cream galore and free Wi-Fi. But they also add their own touches such as wild interior designs, extensive lunch and dinner menus, individual laptop/reading cubicles, or free coffee refills. 

A number of venues, such as Café 11-129 in the Seodaemun neighborhood do all of the above. 

Having a smiling Korean man or woman come around to fill your cup every 30 minutes can be a pretty addictive feature for those who make this their daytime office.

Small roasters

Yet another category of cafés in Seoul is the small roasters, often serving as purveyors of individually hand-dripped cups of joe. 

The charming Café Oui, situated on the outskirts of the Hongik neighborhood is one such small café where, instead of a list of 20 different waffles, you'll find about as many varieties of hand-drip coffee. 

Typically at these roasters, coffee quality and selection is the focus, and much of their business is in selling beans directly to consumers, or even to other local coffee shops.

It seems as though there are a bewildering number of liquid buzz vendors courtesy of Seoul's creative coffee house entrepreneurs.

Undoubtedly, whatever type of coffee, waffle, pancake, smoothie, or atmosphere you are into, you will have no problem finding it here in Seoul. 

Cafe 129-11

129-11 Yeonhee-dong, Seodaemun-gu 

서대문구 연희동 129-11

+82 2 325 0129

Cafe Oui

329-1 Seokyo-dong, Mapo-gu

마포구 서교동 329-1

+82 2 338 0407

Cafe Nodeul

376 Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu

용산구 이촌동 376

+82 2 790 0520

Cafe Egg

154 Sogyuk-dong , Jongno-gu

종로구 소격동 154번지

+82 2 722 8929