Cafeography
Seoul · Myeong-dong & City Hall

Cafés in Myeong-dong & City Hall

Coffee around Myeong-dong's shopping streets, Namdaemun Market, Jeong-dong and the City Hall office blocks.

Photo: Elina Volkova, Pexels License

Myeong-dong was Myeongnyebang in the Joseon era, became Meiji-cho under Japanese rule in 1914 and took its present name in 1946.1 Banks spread here from Namdaemun-ro and Euljiro after the Korean War, young shoppers followed in the 1970s, and its floating population is now put at about two million a day.1 Myeongdong Cathedral, the oldest Catholic cathedral in Korea, was consecrated in May 1898; in the 1970s and 1980s it sheltered pro-democracy and labor protesters, and it became Historic Site No. 258 in 1977.2

Jeong-dong, home of Deoksugung palace, holds an early chapter of Korea's coffee history.6 Antoinette Sontag, who often served coffee to King Gojong, opened a hotel there in 1902, and its coffee shop was the country's first hotel dabang (tearoom).3 Gojong himself had been drinking coffee since at least 1896.7

Local tip: For an early start, Small Good Coffee's flagship on Sejong-daero 14-gil opens at 07:00 every day; it closes at 18:30, so for an evening cup head to Myeongdong Cats' Playground, open until 23:00.

At a glance

171Cafés listed
3With opening hours
07:00Earliest opening
23:00Latest closing

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Coffee chains in Myeong-dong & City Hall

Chain

Mega MGC Coffee 메가커피

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Starbucks

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Ediya Coffee 이디야커피

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A Twosome Place 투썸플레이스

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Getting around Myeong-dong and City Hall

Myeong-dong station (Line 4) serves the south of the district, and Euljiro 1-ga station (Line 2) is closer to the northern streets.1 Namdaemun-ro (남대문로) has more cafés than any other street here, and Toegye-ro (퇴계로), Sejong-daero (세종대로), Seosomun-ro (서소문로) and Sogong-ro (소공로) have long runs of them too.

The office district starts early. Small Good Coffee's flagship on Sejong-daero 14-gil opens daily 07:00–18:30, and a 파란만잔 branch on Sejong-daero 21-gil opens at 07:00 on weekdays and closes on Sundays.

Jeong-dong and the first hotel dabang

Sontag arrived in Korea in 1885 and became a close confidant of the royal family; in 1895 Gojong gave her a house at 29 Jeong-dong, and the hotel that replaced it was completed in October 1902 and took the name Sontag Hotel in 1909.3 It was demolished in 1922, and the site, now an Ewha Womans University centennial hall, has a small plaque.3

Jeong-dong also has Chungdong First Methodist Church, the oldest standing church in Korea, and Doldam-gil, the stone-wall road.6

Tearooms in Myeong-dong and Chungmuro

Modern tearooms reached the district around 1923, when two Japanese-owned ones opened: Futami in Myeong-dong and Mt. Kumgang in neighboring Chungmuro.4 In 1927 the filmmaker Lee Kyung-son opened Kakadu, the first dabang run by a Korean.4

The trade stalled in 1941, when the Pacific War cut off sugar and coffee imports and many coffee shops closed.4 After the Korean War the tearooms became gathering places for out-of-work intellectuals, and some hosted art.4

Namdaemun Market and the Namsan slope

Namdaemun Market, next to the old southern gate of the city, opened in 1414 and is among the oldest markets in Korea; the Seoul Institute counted 5,200 stores in 2016.5 Inside it, 아이에떼 커피 has a branch at Namdaemunsijang-gil 25-1 and mungchichi cafe is at Namdaemunsijang-gil 17.

Up the slope toward Namsan, Lit Haus and Stay 720 are on Sowol-ro 2-gil, and Namsan Base and MAMOE (마뫼) are on Sopa-ro. By City Hall, Happy Plus Cafe is at Sejong-daero 110 and 에이투지 카페 at Sejong-daero 136, with The Lodge (더로지) on Sejong-daero 14-gil. For a late cup in the shopping streets, Myeongdong Cats' Playground opens daily 12:00–23:00.

Sources

  1. Myeong-dong, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  2. Myeongdong Cathedral, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  3. Sontag Hotel, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  4. Dabang, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  5. Namdaemun Market, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  6. Jeong-dong, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  7. Percolating through the history of Korean cafes, Korea JoongAng Daily (March 2, 2006), accessed October 2026
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In Myeong-dong & City Hall, also browse: Specialty coffee Wi-Fi Open late Bakery cafés

FAQ

Myeong-dong & City Hall cafés: questions

Where did Seoul's first hotel café open, near City Hall?

In Jeong-dong, home of Deoksugung palace. Antoinette Sontag, who often served coffee to King Gojong, opened a hotel there in 1902, and its coffee shop was Korea's first hotel dabang (tearoom). The hotel was demolished in 1922, and a small plaque marks the site, now an Ewha Womans University centennial hall.

Which Myeong-dong cafés in Seoul open early?

Small Good Coffee's flagship on Sejong-daero 14-gil opens daily at 07:00 and closes at 18:30. A 파란만잔 branch on Sejong-daero 21-gil opens at 07:00 on weekdays and 09:00 on Saturdays and is closed on Sundays. Myeong-dong station on Line 4 and Euljiro 1-ga station on Line 2 serve the district.

Are there cafés inside Namdaemun Market in Seoul?

Yes. 아이에떼 커피 has a branch at Namdaemunsijang-gil 25-1 and mungchichi cafe is at Namdaemunsijang-gil 17, both inside the market. Namdaemun Market opened in 1414 next to the old southern gate of the city and is among the oldest markets in Korea, with about 5,200 stores in 2016.

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