– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Hi everyone, this week we’re having a cafe tour around Seoul

I’ll be going around few different neighborhoods of Seoul

and checking out some trendy cafes

first up is this cafe by the railway

the atmosphere feels like a hidden cabin

the wooden interior makes it feel extra cozy

the cafe has large windows looking out on the train tracks

and seats right across so you can watch the trains passing by

the coffee itself wasn’t too acidic and was quite refreshing

it was so relaxing to just sip coffee and watch the view

just a 15 min walk from the cafe is the national museum

love this framed view of Namsan tower here

the museum itself is free entry and spans across 3 floors

it’s my first time visiting

and I was really impressed by the collection

definitely recommend a visit if you’re interested in Korean art and culture

the digital installation was also worth visiting

but the most famous display is this Room of Quiet Contemplation

which features two bodhisattva statues, each designated as National Treasure of Korea

there’s so many different parts of the museum

you could probably spend hours here

also make sure to drop by the museum gift shop

this is also such a good place to get Korean souvenirs

you can find unique items with Korean motifs

love these pearl stickers

and this incense stove

they also have this unique T-money for transport and payments while traveling

we have one more stop for today

which is near Seoul station

this area also has a lot of hidden cafes

you can also see namsan tower everywhere

grabbing some lunch first

this kimbap looks so simple but it’s one of my favorites

off to the next cafe

this is retro-themed vinyl cafe

the cafe was opened by a music curator

so you know the music selection is on point

overall the mood is quiet and calm

they serves coffee, tea and some cocktails

the beans are roasted by Upstanding Coffee which is one of my favorite cafes

the coffee was rich and nutty

actually perfect for some work or reading

or you can just sit and enjoy the music

I also brought my laptop to do some work

I really liked this cafe but it is quite small so there may be a waiting list

starting the day that this new popular salt bread bakery in Seongsu

the salt breads here sell out fast, so I recommend coming early

everyone knows of the famous Jayeondo salt bread

but I think this place is more popular for locals

so i’m excited to try it

it was about a 30 min wait to get in

and there were only a few salt breads left

with some flavors being sold out

but I was mostly interested in the original

the line is long but the staff work really fast

and finally secured the goods!

if you like crispy salt bread I think you’ll like this one

I wanted to check out this new lifestyle store

this is a popular online store that just opened up this physical showroom

they have everything from home decor, kitchen items, stationery to fashion accessories

they have a lot of cute and unique items

in particular they had a great kitchenware and ceramics section

the store carries mostly Korean local brands

and the prices were pretty reasonable

this is a tea house i’ve been wanting to visit

the store looks like a museum

love the spiral staircase

you can select which tea you want and it comes with a dessert pairing

and they prepare it for you right in front of you

each tea has it’s own story

this one is meant to remind you of walking through a green field

the tea was quite fruity with a bit of citrus flavours

which paired will with the peach dessert

this cafe is also a perfume store

so you can check out the perfumes on the second floor

since I was in the area I wanted to check the new store by Gentle Monster

this is a multi-brand retail store

the first floor is the fragrance brand Tamburins

their new scent is meant to smell like the warmth of a puppy

which explains the packaging

it actually smelt really cosy with woody and sweet tones

the building itself is a mix of art, design, and commerce

the second floor is gentle monster

it looks like a set of a sci-fi movie

the third floor is the new tableware store Nuflaat

they and some really interesting designs

for the 5th floor you need to take this industrial elevator

which leads to the tea house

you can smell and buy some of their tea blends

the teahouse can be reserved by catchtable or onsite

I didn’t make a reservation and the wait was about 40-50 minutes

I didn’t have time but want to try the desserts next time

there’s one more stop I want to visit today

Just about 20 minute walk away is this Hangang park

which is a great area to just sit and chill

i’m here to check out this vinyl cafe

which sits right on the water

the space is quite large and not crowded at all

the music selection is a bit limited

but still had some good albums

got a seat looking out to the river

today’s album of choice

there’s a 2 hour limit

the entry includes a free drink

and there is also wifi

this is also one of the stops on the new Hanggang bus

great place to see the sunset

the first cafe we’re going to is kind of in the middle of nowhere

I almost walked past it

the cafe is built in a renovated clothes repair shop

and specializes in drip coffee

they also do cocktails at night

even though it’s a small store it was packed with locals

the owner seems serious about coffee

and hand drips each coffee on order

I got the India blend which were meant to have notes of dark chocolate

the cafe had more of a speak easy bar atmosphere

the coffee was quite rich but did have a bit of acidity

the weathers been just perfect recently

the air is getting cooler but the sun is still warm

which means it’s perfect to walk around the city

so I decided to walk to the next cafe

which was a bout 30 minutes away

this is another speciality coffee shop

but they also do desserts too

I ended up getting the decaf but the coffee was still so good

but unexpectedly this cake ended up being my favorite

the shop had so many interesting flavor combinations

I would definitely come here again

I’m rarely in this area of town

so I wanted to drop by a record store nearby

this is one of my favorite record stores in Seoul

they have such a wide collection of vinyls

with a good mix of genres

I always find new records I want when I visit

you can also find a lot of indie Korean bands

there’s a small sitting area so you can listen to the albums

if you’re in Seoul and looking to buy an vinyl this is a good place to start

today we’re near Gyeongbokgung palace

this cafe is renovated from the old town post office

the cafe is all wood tones and warm

the second floor has these huge open windows

with views of the palace walls

I love all the rustic interior

they’re best known for their signature “Camel Coffee”

which is a milky/creamy espresso drink topped with cream

I just got the latte because the camel coffee seemed a bit sweet

the coffee was really good but the cafe was a bit noisy

it’s one of those cafes people come to chat

but a good choice if you’re looking for a good coffee near the palace

off to the next cafe

I hope the weather stays like this a little longer

the back area of the Gyeongbukgung palace is really nice too

this is another new cafe that seems to have good matcha

the cafe is in this traditional hanok

with a little garden in the middle

the interior is a mix of modern and traditional

they also had coffee but I was more interested in the matcha

it’s still quite hard to find real match in Seoul

but this place looked good

the staff suggested taking sip of the matcha first before mixing

the matcha was rich but not bitter at all

it was slightly sweet, still had strong matcha flavors

that brings us to the end of the cafe tours :)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cafe /ˈkæfeɪ/ A1	noun - a place where you can buy and drink coffee, tea, and sometimes light meals
trendy /ˈtrɛndi/ B1	adjective - very fashionable or up-to-date
atmosphere /ˈætməsˌfɪər/ B1	noun - the mood or feeling of a place
cozy /ˈkoʊzi/ A2	adjective - giving a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation
refreshing /rɪˈfrɛʃɪŋ/ A2	adjective - making you feel less hot or tired
museum /mjuˈziːəm/ A1	noun - a building where objects of historical, cultural, or artistic interest are stored and exhibited
collection /kəˈlɛkʃən/ A2	noun - a group of objects of a particular type that have been collected by one person or organization
souvenir /ˌsuːvəˈnɪr/ A2	noun - an object kept as a reminder of a place visited or an event
unique /juˈniːk/ B1	adjective - being the only one of its kind
retro /ˈrɛtroʊ/ B1	adjective - relating to the past, especially in style or fashion
curator /ˈkjuːreɪtər/ B2	noun - a person who manages a museum or art gallery, or organizes exhibitions
rich /rɪtʃ/ A2	adjective - having a strong or intense flavor
motif /moʊˈtiːf/ B2	noun - a distinctive and recurring form, shape, or design
perfume /pərˈfjuːm/ A2	noun - a liquid that gives out a pleasant smell when put on the skin
blend /blɛnd/ B1	noun - a mixture of different things, especially coffee or tea
speciality /ˌspɛʃiˈæləti/ B1	noun - a product or dish that is special to a particular place or region
hanok /ˈhɑːnɒk/ C1	noun - a traditional Korean house
matcha /ˈmætʃə/ B1	noun - a finely ground green tea powder used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies