On a bright midday I took a trip to Anam-dong, a quiet neighbourhood north-east of Seoul’s centre. There is a path that follows one of the tributary that branches off from Cheonggyecheon stream. Along this path there is a worn-down looking building with a façade of small white and brown tiles. If you’ve found this building, you’ve found Useless Adult.
Although the name seems to contradict, the Useless Adult is a stunning modern take on traditional Korean and Asian aesthetics. The café is a medium sized one that doubles as a bar at night.
The café is an old building that has been refurbished, but not enough for the original character of the building to be erased. The floors and ceiling were made of concrete; floors from the original building and walls, and ordering counter made new.
Some of the ceiling was also made of concrete, while another part of it was a traditional Hanok style wooden roof. In the part of the cafe with the Hanok roof, the old wooden beams were exposed adding stunning character to the space.
Wooden support beams were also present in the walls and window frames, balancing out the coldness of the concrete and adding a naturalness to the space.
Paintings of traditional Asian landscapes and plants were scattered throughout the space. Lighting and furniture also added design elements to the space. Also Buddhist paraphernalia was heavily featured in the café, with the centre piece, a large statue of Buddha.
This statue was in the centre of the café in a small pebbled courtyard. Large floor to celling windows allowed you to look into the courtyard from certain parts of the café. Not only was it beautiful to look at, this let in natural light to the café.
The seating areas wrapped around the courtyard in a square shape and each of the seats were different. There were custom wooden benches mixed with trendy tinted chairs, mixed in with vintage wooden table and chairs of every size.
The space had a calming and zen atmosphere so it was perfect for socializing or even taking some alone time to read a book. If you were able to get an appropriate table it was also good for working, but seemed to be a shame to be working at a place so calm.
While there was an overt nod to traditional Korean culture, there were modern elements added to it that made the space feel contemporary at the same time.
In terms of the café’s menu, I got a hot chocolate and cookie. The cookie was crunchy on the outside but soft in the centre. It had a nice flavour and wasn’t too sweet or savory. The hot chocolate was extremely rich and thick; reminiscent of an Italian Style hot chocolate. It was a little too rich and sweet for me, so I would only recommend it for a real sweet tooth.
Useless Adult is a beautiful space that pays homage to traditional culture in a beautiful and contemporary way. In dead beat terms you can see Korean traditional culture presented in a modern way without feeling like you're in a museum. It’s a beautiful space to take time to soothe the soul either alone or with company. It’s a must visit for those who need an escape.
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