Poop Cafe Seoul: What Happened to Insadong’s Famous Ddong Cafe (And Where to Get Your Toilet Mug Latte Now)
Last Updated on September 26, 2026
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.
Before we get too far into this, I don’t want to create confusion. I have updated this article because the original Ddong Cafe (또옹카페) on the top floor of Ssamziegil in Insadong has closed. The space is now a branch of Maldong Donut (말똥도넛), specifically the Hi Maldong Insadong (하이말똥 인사동) branch, and the good news is that the poop fun didn’t go anywhere. You can still sip your latte out of a toilet bowl mug, and this branch makes poop-shaped donuts as a nod to the cafe that made this corner of Ssamziegil famous. It’s in the same spot, just a different twist on the poop swirls.
This quirky cafe in the tourist-friendly Insadong district of 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:
- What Happened to the Ddong Cafe?
- Maldong Donut: The Poop Cafe’s New Era
- Basic Info
- What It Was Like: The Original Ddong Cafe
- Not The Only Celebration of Poo In Korea
- Why Are Koreans Obsessed With Poop
- A Crappy Conclusion
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What Happened to the Ddong Cafe?
After roughtly a decade on the top floor of Ssamziegil, the Ddong Cafe (또옹카페) closed late 2024. A lot of travel sites, map apps and social media posts still list it as open, which is why I get so many messages from confused parents standing at the top of Ssamziegil wondering where the poop cafe went.
While the original ddong cafe isn’t there, the new brand that moved in didn’t just do away with the humorous poopified The space was taken over by Maldong Donut, and rather than scrubbing away the thing that brought people up four floors in the first place, they kept it. The toilet bowl mugs are still there, and this branch makes poop-shaped donuts you won’t find at their other locations.
What does “ddong” mean? Ddong (똥) is the everyday Korean word for poop. The old cafe’s name, 또옹, is a playful, drawn-out way of saying it (think “poooop”). You’ll see 똥 everywhere once you know it: on snacks like ddong-ppang (똥빵), in kids’ books, and in a surprising number of everyday Korean words (more on that below).
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Maldong Donut: The Poop Cafe’s New Era
If you’ve been around Seoul lately, you might recognize Maldong Donut (말똥도넛) from its other branches: vibrant neon colors, a retro cafe look and cases full of brightly decorated donuts. We visited their large and super fun Paju branch when it first opened so it was immediately recognizable when I spotted it here. The brand began with Maldong Donut Dessert Town in Paju, created by the team behind Paju’s giant Dirty Trunk cafe.
Not the exact same poop cafe, but still reasonably fun: 말똥 (maldong) literally means horse poop, so it’s really not as far off as some people might think. A very good heir to the previous venue anyway. The name reportedly started as a joke. Dirty Trunk already had an “elephant poop bread” on its bakery menu, so someone suggested doing horse poop next, and a donut brand was born.
At the Insadong branch, you get the Maldong look (bright, colorful, retro) layered on top of the poop cafe’s legacy. Literally, you can still find the toilet mugs and urinal bowls so the poop humor still abounds in all its glory.
Is the Poop Cafe Good for Kids?
Yes, and honestly, it’s one of the easiest wins in central Seoul if you’re traveling with little ones. Kids think it’s hilarious, the treats are sweet and colorful, and it’s a short, low-effort stop you can fit between more serious sightseeing in the area.
It’s also easy with a stroller. Because the cafe is inside Ssamziegil, you can either roll up the building’s gently sloping spiral walkway (which passes all the little shops on the way up) or take the elevator straight to the top floor.
Basic Info
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.
Hours: Every day: 9:00am ~ 8:30pm
What It Was Like: The Original Ddong Cafe
For the curious (and the nostalgic), here’s what the Ddong Cafe was like when I visited with my daughter. The toilet mugs survived the takeover, but the rest of this is now a little piece of Insadong history.
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.
The building itself is shaped like a giant toilet, and it was once the home of Sim Jae-duck, a former Suwon mayor so devoted to cleaner public restrooms that he was nicknamed “Mr. Toilet.” The name Haewoojae means “a house for relieving worries,” a nod to haeuso (해우소), the traditional name for toilets at Buddhist temples. For families, the museum’s culture center also runs hands-on kids’ programs under the name Ddong Playground (똥놀이터).
- 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. Dreaming of poop is considered a sign that money is coming (some people buy lottery tickets the next morning), kids get poop-swirl stickers for good work at school, and even the word for shooting star, 별똥별, literally means “a star that poops a star.”
FAQ
Is the poop cafe in Seoul still open?
The original Ddong Cafe (또옹카페) has closed, but its space on the 4th floor of Ssamziegil in Insadong is now Maldong Donut (signed Hi Maldong Insadong), which still serves drinks in toilet bowl mugs and makes poop-shaped donuts.
What replaced the Ddong Cafe in Insadong?
Maldong Donut (말똥도넛), a Korean donut brand known for bright neon colors and a retro cafe style. The name 말똥 literally means horse poop, and the Insadong branch keeps the poop cafe tradition alive.
Can you still drink from a toilet mug in Seoul?
Yes. The toilet bowl mugs are still available at the Maldong Donut branch in Ssamziegil.
Where exactly is the poop cafe?
4th (top) floor of Ssamziegil, 44 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Take Anguk Station (Line 3) exit 6, walk to the main Insadong street, turn left, and Ssamziegil is on your left.
What does “ddong” mean in Korean?
Ddong (똥) means poop. It’s the everyday word, used by kids and adults alike.
Is the poop cafe stroller friendly?
Yes. Ssamziegil has elevators, and its spiral walkway slopes gently up past the shops to the top floor.
Why are Koreans obsessed with poop?
Poop isn’t a taboo topic in Korea. Dreaming of poop is considered a sign of coming wealth, and poop is a cute, common character in children’s culture.
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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