Just after Christmas I went early one chilly morning to Jongno. Along the street that follows the Cheonggyecheon stream, there is a strip of brightly coloured shops selling lights and other interior supplies. But there is one building that stands out from the rest.
Painted a bright yellow with a mural of a man and a cup, Angle 340 is a large café on the second floor.
The space, which was presumably a factory in its previous life, was wide and open. A lot of the industrial finishes were left in their almost original state or changed just slightly. The walls and ceiling were white with parts left exposing concrete or weathered paint. The floor was mainly a faded red textured almost concrete finish, with sections of grey concrete showing through near the ordering counter.
Alongside these industrial elements, the furniture and design elements of the space feature heavily on mid-century design. The seating provided various pops of bright colours to the space. Pendant lights not only added warm lighting to the space, they also acted as decorative elements to the space.
Cabinetry and the main counter, which was a deep brown wood were also a nod to mid century design. Lastly, there were a few big art pieces that acted to tie all the design elements and colours of the space together. This gave the space a perfectly well decorated feel.
Moreover, despite the industrial elements of the space, with a lot of spot lighting, the space gave off an comforting and relaxed feel. Moreover there were also two large windows which let in nice natural light. The windows also looked out onto the Cheonggyecheon stream below which helped to make the space feel open.
Seating was usually for twos or threes, and while there were some normal working level tables, most tables were low. This meant that the space was much better suited to socialising.
In terms of drinks, I ordered a milk tea and an apple and cinnamon cookie. The milk tea had a velvety texture and a creamy tea flavour and had a perfect balance of sweetness. The tea was also garnished with dried orange and rosemary. This rosemary also added an extra flavor dimension to the tea. The cookie also had a nice cinnamon flavour. However it was hard and quite dry.
Angle 340 is a beautifully decorated open space that also doubles as a café. In dead beat terms it’s a mid-century design lover’s dream place to sit and relax. Elements of industrial and mid-century design come together in the heart of one of Seoul’s oldest neighbourhoods. If you’re taking a walk along Cheonggyecheon and need a rest, make your way to Angle 340 to not only enjoy a drink but to enjoy a well thought out interior.
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