Explore Seoul (서울탐험)

The Cutest Thing in Hongdae: The Hello Kitty Cafe

Hello Kitty is one of those characters that everyone knows of even if they’ve never seen the actual show. The cute and lovable Japanese character that was created in 1974 has grown to proportions that creator Yuko Yamaguchi likely never imagined. There’s a cafe in Hongdae that has the most fun pop-ups and this is one of them.

Hello Kitty Cafe, Hongdae, Seoul, Korea

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Basic Info

The Hello Kitty Cafe is no longer in Hongdae, but this building is still run by Sanrio and is now the Sanrio Lover’s Club Cafe.

Address: 364-14 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul (서울마포구서교동364-14)

Hours: Sunday ~ Thursday: 10:00am – 12:00am; Friday ~ Saturday: 10:00am – 2:00am


The Cafe

Hello Kitty purses, blankets, tote bags, rings, necklaces, cafes and more all around the world and there’s one right in the middle of the trendy Hongdae district. Hongdae is where university students flock for live music shows, underground hip-hop and indie music venues, modern cafes and boutique shops. There is street art and graffiti and in the center of it all, the infamous Hello Kitty Cafe (헬로키티 카페 홍대).

Hello Kitty Cafe, Hongdae, Seoul, Korea

The two story pink and white cafe that tourists flock to was opened in 2015 having been moved from a previously smaller location a couple blocks away. The building screams Hello Kitty from the alley it overlooks. A stone stairway leads up to the building that is decorated with gold and shiny accents giving the whole Hello Kitty experience a glamorous twist.

Hello Kitty Cafe, Hongdae, Seoul, Korea

On the first floor is a cafe and gift shop and each corner of the building seems to have a photo zone so while customers must purchase a drink in order to hang out, no one is really hanging but meandering from room to room to get those all necessary photos. The first floor has a faux fireplace and chairs to give Helly Kitty a little homey vibe and then upstairs even her bedroom is on display though, the bedding looked quite worn and I would assume it hadn’t been washed in ages. Buffs on the walls here and there took away the glamour that the original decor gave off. The place could definitely use a little clean-up but that’s not stopping tourists anytime soon.

The food and coffee was a bit overpriced though comes out quite jazzed up with Hello Kitty faces and what not. We got there a bit after it opened and apparently they still needed an hour to heat up the waffle maker, so no waffles. We were okay with just having coffee as the food didn’t look all that appetizing for the price. That’s obviously not why we went there anyway.

Though I wasn’t a huge Hello Kitty fan going in, I was impressed with the overall effort to be completely Hello Kitty from top to bottom. Literally even the tiled Hanok style roof was painted pink and white too. They went gung-ho and it is all that and a bag of kitty litter… er something that goes along with Hello Kitty.

Hello Kitty Cafe, Hongdae, Seoul, Korea

Want something to do AFTER you’ve finished brunch and you’re looking to wander around Hongdae? Here are some awesome options while you’re in the area:


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10 Comments

  • hannah

    I am really not a fan of Hello Kitty, but the place looks so cute!
    Even if it’s kind of creepy place, I would want to go there. Just to say that I was in a hello kitty cafe in Seoul!

  • Adonis Villanueva

    I had an ex that was, still is, crazy about Hello Kitty. She’d be candy heaven at a place like this! As cool as it is, you probably won’t see me there…at least when somebody’s looking 🙂

    • Hallie

      It’s set up some steps and behind some bushes.. so even if people were looking, they’d have a difficult time seeing you! haha

  • Noemi of Pinay Flying High

    I used to be a Hello Kitty fan when I was a kid up to a teenager but oh my goodness that is way too much Hello Kitty for me. Lol. I do love how they kept up with the theme even with their coffee. That’s talent! :p

    • Hallie

      Yeah, it was a bit much but if you go to a themed cafe, it’d be disappointing if it wasn’t over the top. Don’t you think?

  • Karin

    Wow, this is one of the places I would never go myself, but I understand why you went – it is so weird!! I wonder if they have any regular customers who just come for the coffee – I guess not, based on what you said of the food and cleanliness of the place 😉

    • Hallie

      Yeah, it isn’t a place that I usually venture to. I’m not a quirky cafe sort of traveler, however, my blogging buddy is and my little one got a kick out of it so it was fun for that factor. It needs a little upkeep, but the tourists still flock their.

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