Before traveling to South Korea, I started the long journey of curating my TikTok ‘For You’ page so that I could receive more recommendations of how to spend my free time outside of my Korean language learning. One of the resounding things to do for 20-somethings was to go café hopping, which is when you go from one café to the next to try the next best drink or dessert, usually with friends, to pass your free time. Cafés are known for each having a distinct theme or vibe when you enter the space. This could be exclusively in the menu or displayed in the aesthetics of their café. In South Korea, on any one block, you can find upwards of three or more cafés.
Earl Grey Tea Cake and Red Velvet Cake from A Twosome Place
For me, my first cafe experience came on the day that we met our language partners. I was still adjusting to the cultural shock of having to navigate a menu that is fully in Korean, so I allowed my language partner, Sujeong, to pick a drink for me while I marveled at the dessert case at a nearby café that had three floors of meeting spaces accentuated by big open windows and a beautiful minimalist layout. My eyes were set on a beautiful slice of red velvet cake that I knew would taste just like how I expected - delicious, sweet, and rich - except, it didn’t. After enjoying the Affogatos that she ordered for the both of us, Sujeong and I cheers’d our forks together, but we found ourselves bewildered as the cake crumbled into a dry heap of crumbs between the prongs of our forks. I looked to Sujeong for answers, but she could only tell me, “well, this cafe is not really known for its desserts,” as she sat down her fork in repose.
Tiramisu Cake and Strawberry Milkshake from a campus café
So, I made it my mission to find a café that knows how to do desserts. Café culture here in South Korea includes a lot of amazing themed cafés that have awesome aesthetics. Aesthetics are what drive a lot of cafés - many people go for Instagram photo ops and a relaxing and fun space to share with friends. However, I don’t think anyone should have to sacrifice amazingly rich red velvet cake, or any other decadent desserts, for aesthetics. Thus, I have made it my mission to try to find a decadent dessert café that is just as beautiful as its counterparts.
Honey Butter Bread from Ediya Coffee - my personal favorite so far
You may ask, how do you plan to do this, Laila Simone? Well, I’m glad you asked. My answer is this - consistency. In three short weeks so far, I have visited numerous cafés, usually one every few days when the activities of the day permit. I justify these café visits by completing my homework while enjoying another cute dessert. I have been faithfully navigating the Naver Maps app (similar to Yelp) to find out what Cheongju locals are raving about. I have also been utilizing our most valuable resource - our speaking partners - to gather a slew of recommendations of what to try out next.
Some cute desserts scored at another campus café while working with our language partners
My time here has so far been filled with forcing myself out of my comfort zone in my language learning skills, getting to know people within the Korean community and my cohort members, and going to a whole lot of cafés. I hope by the end of this program that I will not only be a stronger language learner and Korean speaker, but I will be able to say that I ate at one of the best decadent dessert cafés in Cheongju and maybe even South Korea - who knows?
By Laila Simone Robinson
Korean Intensive Summer Language Program
Cheongju, South Korea, Summer 2023