South Korea is also the land of cuteness and it’s being proved by the omnipresence of cute stores and shops around the country. Sanrio is a no exception. The Japanese company that designs, licenses, and produces Sanrio products focuses on its best-known characters: Hello Kitty with her friends including My Melody, Kuromi, Keroppi, Bad Badtz-Maru, Cinnamoroll, Jewelpet, Pompompurin, and Retsuko.
Sanrio Lover’s Club Pop-Up (산리오 러버스 클럽)
- Address: 18 Wausan-ro 19-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (서울 마포구 와우산로19길 18)
- Hours: Every day: 12:00pm ~ 9:00pm
Set up on a hill in the Hongdae area in Seoul surrounded by bars and restaurants, is this super cute café. The garden has been strung with lights and the exterior decorated too. When you first walk up the steps, you may notice that people have lined up outside of the door.
You can enter the first floor without a reservation freely so you can enter without waiting in line. The line is for the people that have reserved for upstairs. They open those reservations on the hour so people line up about 10-15 minutes before their time slot so they can get upstairs and get their ideal seat.
The first floor of the café features photo-op spots to the left, the café to purchase drinks and food, and a bustling shop. There is also a second floor of photo ops but remember, a reservation is required to sit there… or even go up to see it. The first time we visited, we didn’t have a reservation, so we just visited the first floor. Yes, we did indeed go back with a reservation later.
Cinnamoroll Sweet Cafe (시나모롤 스위트카페)
- Address: Hongdae AK&, 188 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul (서울 마포구 양화로 188 홍대 AK& Plaza)
- Hours: Everyday: 11:00 am ~ 10:00 pm
While there is no pre-reservation required to enter this café, you might want to. There is a sign-in spot when you go toward the entrance where you can put your phone number in. This café is smaller than the Sanrio Lover’s Club but no less cute.
Devoted to Sanrio’s character Cinnamoroll specifically, you need to get up and take pictures at the various cute photo-op spots. The drinks and food are specific to this one as well and different from what is offered at Sanrio Lover’s Club.
Café Harmony (카페하모니)
- Address: Hapjeong, 12 Donggyo-ro 9-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (서울 마포구 동교로 9길 12 지층~1층)
- Hours: Everyday: 11:00 am ~ 8:00 pm
This Kuromi and My Melody-themed café showed the fantastic chemistry between the two. The place offers amazing food and beverages, but also cute goodies filled with the loveliness of the pair! Café Harmony is the masterpiece harmony that soulmates Kuromi and My Melody will show.
No reservation is needed to enter the store on the first floor but enjoy a coffee you need to make a reservation in advance on the app ‘Catchtable’.
Hello Kitty Island (헬로키티아일랜드)
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Address: Jeju Island, 340, Hanchang-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do (제주특별자치도 서귀포시 안덕면 한창로 340)
- Hours: 9:00 am ~ 6:00 pm
Hello Kitty Island is a special exhibition hall, themed around Hello Kitty, an adorable character loved by many people all over the world. Visitors can enjoy various exhibits, a gift shop, and a café, selling hot coffee and sweet desserts.
With an admission fee of Adults 14,000 won / Teenagers 13,000 won / Children 11,000 won.
Don’t miss out on those cute spots while traveling South Korea!