Poop Cafe Seoul: A Hilariously Crappy Adventure
This hilarious poo-themed cafe has been around since I first got to Korea decades ago and yet I never really felt the urge to visit this quirky spot… until I had a daughter. Kids will find it hilarious and the adults with them will probably chuckle a bit too.
In the heart of Seoul’s traditional Insadong district, when a family of tourists says they’re going to Insadong and asks me what to do there, I always suggest the poop cafe Seoul. It’s hilarious, fun for kids, and actually has delicious treats, but I think when you’re traveling with kids especially, you need to mix it up between serious and traditional and quirky and fun and the Ddong Cafe (또옹카페) is in just the right spot of Seoul, Korea to do that.
I feel like I jumped right to the punch line a bit. Yes, this quirky cafe in Seoul has embraced the art of turning poop into a hilarious theme, and whether you’re looking for fun things to do with kids in Seoul or fun things to do with friends in Seoul, it’s the spot to check out and will definitely provide you with some funny photos to take home to try to explain to other friends and family.
Certainly not just for kids or families with kids, but definitely fun for them and everyone else who visits the poop cafe Seoul:
- How To Get There
- Basic Info
- Poop-tastic Decor
- Crappy Culinary Delights
- Not The Only Celebration of Poo In Korea
- Why Are Koreans Obsessed With Poop
- A Crappy Conclusion
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How To Get There
Address: Ssamziegil Building, 44 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울 종로구 인사동길 44 쌈지길)
Directions: Anguk Station, exit 6. Walk straight to the main Insadong Street. Turn left and you’ll find Ssamziegil a bit up on your left side.
When you come to the address, you’ll realize it’s a small shopping center of sorts. Take your time to walk up and peruse the locally produced souvenirs and shops. The cafe is located on the top floor of a shopping center on Insadong Culture Street. If you don’t want to walk up, you can also take an elevator to the top floor to get the directly.
Basic Info
Hours: Every day: 10:30am ~ 9:00pm
Pro Tip: Though the vendor outside who sells the poop swirl pastries is separate from the cafe, you can purchase those and take them inside too.
Poop-tastic Decor
Poo-shaped pillows sit on café chairs, silly poo-based art adorns the walls. And let’s not forget about the pièce de résistance – toilet bowl mugs for your lattes and squat toilets for your ice cream and waffles. Sipping coffee from a toilet bowl never tasted so good!
Poo-shaped smiley faces adorn the walls, floor, and even hang from the ceiling like cheerful ornaments. The entire place is a whimsical wonderland where you can let loose and embrace the silliness. Who knew poop could be so funny? Well, I suppose the kids and the kid in all of us really.
Crappy Culinary Delights
Picture this: Poo-shaped ice cream and waffles served in toilet-shaped bowls. It’s as hilarious as it is tasty. My daughter couldn’t stop giggling as she devoured her poop-shaped dessert. And those toilet bowl mugs? They’re perfect for sipping your latte and snapping a few Instagram-worthy photos.
Just outside, you can also get your hands on “ddong-bang” or a variation of bungeo-bbang (the fish-shaped traditional street food) but in poop-shaped form. The popular traditional Korean pastry is filled with red bean paste. This vendor also serves a version that is filled with Nutella, too. You can purchase them outside and take them inside the cafe though they are separate vendors.
Not The Only Celebration of Poo In Korea
When you travel around Korea, you quickly realize there is some sort of fascination with fecal matter and there are not only quirky cafes devoted to the subject, but there are also very serious and rather beautiful swirly mounds of poo just randomly here and there from parks to playgrounds and city centers too.
You could plan a very poo-themed travel course around Korea if you wanted to. Check out these other spots:
Poopoo Land: A three-story museum in Busan, Korea that showcases various urinals, toilet papers, and other exhibits in a fun education-filled way. Exhibits simulate the digestive-tract and as much as it is educational, it’s also hilarious.
- Address: 10th, floor, 672 Jungang-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan (부산시 부산진구 중앙대로 삼정타워 10층)
- Hours: Every day: 11:00am ~ 8:00pm
- Admission: W10,000 per person; Book your tickets in advance on Klook to get a discount.
The Toilet Museum, Haeujae (해우재): A spot I’ve mentioned in my guide to Suwon, Korea, this house built to pay homage to toilets houses a wide variety of toilets including squat toilets, European bidets and bedpans, and more.
- Address: 458-9 Jangan-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon (Imok-dong) (수원시 장안구 장안로 458-9(이목동))
- Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00am ~ 5:00pm
- Admission: Free
- Website: www.haewoojae.com
Why Are Koreans Obsessed With Poop
One thing I’ve learned while living in Korea is that there is really nothing shameful about poo. While I learned to be a bit more hushed when discussing bowel movements, Koreans certainly aren’t. I remember the first few times I visited my parents-in-law’s house and my mother-in-law really tried to feed me well. But, as often happens to people in new maybe stressful places with food they don’t eat three meals a day usually, I couldn’t go to the bathroom.
When asked why I wasn’t eating or wasn’t hungry or this and that, I would try to politely explain in a roundabout way. My husband on the other hand just jumped in and said I was constipated and there-in started a whole conversation about my poo. I was embarrassed but no one else was and I learned not to be over many many years, though I still get a bit quieter when the topic comes up.
So, where did this unabashed fascination with swirly poos come from? You can go back pretty far in Korean history and find droppings… or inklings of poo. An old Korean superstition says that one will be prosperous if he/she dreams of poo. These days some people will go out and stock up on lottery tickets when they have the dream. Would you?
A Crappy Conclusion
Whether you’re a family with kids, a couple looking for something unique in Seoul, or a group of friends looking for a good laugh, the Ddong Cafe is a must-visit on your trip to Seoul. It’s a place where laughter flows as freely as the coffee.
There you have it – the scoop on the Ddong Cafe in Insadong, Seoul. It’s a quirky fun experience that’s sure to make you smile and give you plenty of funny stories to share with friends. Who knew that a cafe centered around poop could be so much fun?
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