Before this, I was in Seungri’s AND.Here Cafe
Just like Seungri, Lee Donghae (Super Junior) is also a crush I found from watching Running Man. I wasn’t a K-pop music listener. Even before I went to Seoul, I had never listened to any of their songs. They really just became my crush because I found them cute and funny in my favorite Korean variety show. Running Man was my only connection to Korean showbiz. (I did start listening to their songs, but I’ll get to that at another time.)
Since I liked Donghae and it was also the peak of my admiration for him, I researched and found that, just like Seungri, he also owns a coffee shop in Seoul.
After my visit to Seungri’s AND.Here Cafe, I headed next to Donghae’s Haru & One Day, which is located in the near-outskirts of Seoul. My first impression of the area around Seongsu Station was that it had a subterranean old city vibe, with the aged railway covering most of the road below and most of the buildings around it looking old. Finding Haru & One Day, a stylish modern café, in the middle of this was a bit odd. It seemed out of place. Well, I thought, at least people in the area have been blessed with this little oasis.
Side note — The name of the area is Seongsu-dong. The characteristics of this outlying neighborhood of Seoul are quite unique. I read that it’s dubbed the “Brooklyn of Seoul.” Apparently, it is not very popular with tourists but many Seoulites, especially young people, hang out at the old-buildings-turned-restaurants-and-cafes in the area. Seongsudong used to be the seat of many factories, which is probably why it had this industrial vibe to it.
Come to think of it, Haru & One Day has design elements that match the neighborhood, particularly with its metal and wire mesh chairs and pendant light fixtures. Overall, the ambiance of the cafe is vibrant, stylish, and cozy, a different character compared with Seungri’s AND.Here that’s more snug and warm. I found many people with their laptops at Haru & One Day—it seems to be conducive to working or studying. It’s also a perfect place for people looking for Instagram-worthy cafés.
I ordered Ice Ball Mocha, mainly because the name sounded interesting. But basically, it’s a bittersweet mocha float. It’s a good choice for mocha lovers, but if you want less of the bittersweet taste, which I am not really a fan of, just mix the drink to distribute the creaminess of the “ice ball.”
Honestly, between the coffee shops of my two Korean idol crushes, I would more likely go back to Seungri’s AND.Here Cafe than I would to Haru & One Day. The dim atmosphere of AND.Here Cafe made me less conscious of other people noticing or watching me as I childishly scatter my color pens along with my journal on my table. As for Haru & One Day, I would love to go back here with a friend because the atmosphere is more ideal for conversations.
Haru & One Day is located at 92 Achasan-ro, Seongsu-dong 2(i)-ga, Seongdong-gu, Seoul.
Seoul is definitely a coffee lover’s paradise.
Got questions about Donghae’s Haru & One Day or other nice coffee shops in Seoul? Shoot me an email below or follow and drop me a message on Instagram!
Daybook by Rei 