Behind the main streets of Hapjong, near the Han River where there has been a boom in new cafes and shops being built, there’s an interesting café by the name of Smoko Guys.
Smoko Guys is a very singular cafe. It’s exterior is the first thing that sets it apart from the other grey buildings in the area. The café is on the second floor and one half of it has a deep red brick façade with a red tiled roof. But the thing that sets it apart most is the café theme; New Zealander/Australian tradesmen, aka tradie, culture. Having not been home to Australia for more than three years, I was very curious to visit Smoko Guys.
Just from the name of the café, Smoko Guys, (smoko is slang for a cigarette break) an image comes to mind for those who have lived in Australia or New Zealand. For those who haven’t, upon entering the café, you can get a feel for tradie culture.
Australian/New Zealander tradie paraphernalia was everywhere. For example there was a metal locker with a high-vis work vest inside, a caulking gun, white and blue plastic safety line and even a wall for workers of the month (Michael from the Office and Barney from How I Met Your Mother).
In a nod to blue collar workers, there were hints of blue throughout the café; the sofa, lettering on the window, blue and white plastic safety lining, a New Zealand flag and of course the café’s logo.
This themed paraphernalia was allowed to shine with a relatively simple interior. The floor was a grey stone like lino. The walls were painted white and the ceiling was unfinished grey concrete. Most of the finishes of the cafe were stainless steel with the table tops of the main counter, bar and seats made of the material.
However to counteract this industrial feel, there was also a lot of wooden finishes like on the window frames, some of the doors, some seating, the consoles for the bar and ordering counter and the backing behind the bar.
A café dedicated to tradie culture, back at home would usually have been somewhat tacky, however here in Korea it was done in a tasteful way. There was a nice balance of paraphernalia as well as trendy decorative pieces. Moreover, there was a feeling of the spacing being a canteen, but just leveled up with good taste.
In terms of seating, most of the seating was good for working but there were also seats on the bar and a sofa. This meant that the space was good for working and socialising. Also since it also served alcohol, the café also doubled as a bar. My only qualm was that the seats were uncomfortable and hard to sit in without sliding down.
For the drinks, I ordered the black tea and milk which could only come hot. This was a cup of black tea served with milk and sugar on the side. It was served the traditional way and the way that I drank tea back home in Australia. This was the first time I had seen tea served like this in Korea and it reminded me of home.
Smoko Guys is a café that is a nod to blue collar working culture, a concept I never though I would see. In dead beat terms this is like a man cave, but one in which everyone can enjoy. It’s a nod to New Zealander/Australian working culture done authentically but also tastefully. It’s a good space for socialising or working and for any Aussies or Kiwis, it’s a must visit to get a true-blue taste of home.
टिप्पणियां