The Secret Comfort of Winter Cafés in Seoul

There’s a special kind of calm that appears in Seoul during winter. The city stays busy, of course, but step inside a warm café in Gangnam, Hongdae, or even a tiny alleyway in Ikseon-dong, and everything slows down. The windows fog, the heaters hum quietly, and people wrap their hands around hot drinks like they’re holding onto little pieces of warmth.

Winter cozy
Continue reading

Loading

Autumn in Seoul

Following Seoul’s long, lingering summer heat, the leaves have been taking their time to fall, stretching out over the past few weeks..

Dongtan, Korea

Vocabulary

낙엽 — nak-yeop — falling leaves

떨어지다 — tteo-reo-ji-da — to fall

서서히 — seo-seo-hi — slowly; gradually

몇 주 동안 — myeot jju dong-an — for a few weeks

더운 여름 — deo-un yeo-reum — hot summer

주변 지역 — ju-byeon ji-yeok — surrounding areas

지속되다 — ji-sok-doe-da — to continue; to last

가을 — ga-eul — autumn; fall

Related Articles

Loading

Seoul Lantern Festival — A Winter of Light

Even though Seoul’s winters can be cold, the season always feels warm and magical when the city lights up at night.

One of the most beautiful winter events is the Seoul Lantern Festival, held every December along the Cheonggyecheon Stream.

2025 Seoul Lantern Festival
Continue reading

Loading

Falling for Seoul

The streets of Seoul are full of autumn colors. The ginkgo trees along Yangjaecheon stream have turned bright yellow, making it a perfect place for an afternoon walk.

Fall.
Continue reading

Loading

Seoul Design Week Shapes Everyday Life in Style

Seoul Design Week (Oct 15–19) has opened at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, featuring over 70 lifestyle brands in themed zones like “Maximalist Life” and “Quiet Foodie.” 

Seoul Desogn Week 2025
Continue reading

Loading

Autumn Palaces: Seoul’s K-Royal Festival Lights Up Tradition

Through this weekend, October 8–12, 2025, Seoul is hosting the Fall K-Royal Culture Festival (궁중문화축전) at its four historic palaces, including Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. The event features royal court music, dance, traditional craft workshops, and popular nighttime tours under autumn skies.

K-Royal Culture Festival
Continue reading

Loading

Design Spotlight: Seoul’s New Design Fair at DDP

As a growing design city, Seoul is shining once again in the global art and design world. From September 1–14, 2025, the city hosted its first-ever Design Miami / Seoul exhibition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)

The fair, titled “Illuminated: A Spotlight on Korean Design”, shows off 170 works by 71 Korean artists—traditional craftsmanship (수공예) meets cutting-edge materials like wood, metal, horsehair, and ceramics. 

The DDP in Seoul
Continue reading

Loading