Hello Hello Kitty!

One of the most peculiar things about moving to Korea, or Asia in general is the amount of 'cutsie' stuff you around you. It is a mecca for all anime, Hello Kitty, and other characters. I remember when I first got to Korea, I used to see ladies in their 40's and 50's with huge Hello Kitty or animal shaped smart phone covers. I used to be like "really?".

But, as any good little way gook would do, I finally gave in and picked a character that I would become obsessed with and so, I picked Hello Kitty. Why, you ask? well, one day during a ski trip in December 2010 some friends and I were coming back from a ski trip and we stopped over at a convenience store called 'Family Mart' (it is called C U now). And right there I saw about one-third of a shelf entirely dedicated to Hello Kitty stuff.










                                                                           My Hello Kitty i-phone cover and headphones

There is HK everything including Eva Air (which has remodeled itself with a HK theme) and there is HK Cafe.There are many in fact, so we picked one in Hongdae, near Hongik University, right in the middle of the popular university area.

Flight attendants ready to take off with on Eva Air

After reading two blogs online, I was quite lost as to where the location was, but then we met two girls on the street who we followed to the HK cafe. It was really fun, one of the girls was from Texas and she was short and cut with a long blonde braid. She told us that she had visited four HK Cafes and that she had also flown through Eva Air. And she added that she 'LOVED HK'.

After walking for about 15 minutes and discovering the new H&M in Hongdae, we finally made to the cafe.

 


As we walked in, we were flooded in with pink and HK icons everywhere. Joe, went upstairs to find a seat because we would not order if we did not have a seat. Next to the counter, we found a myriad of HK desert items to order. From HK shaped waffles, to candy bars, to HK shaped ice cream cakes.

As soon as we had seats we ordered. Each of us had a waffle and a coffee, (except for Joe who had an americano and Chris had hot chocolate). The boys ordered regular waffles, I ordered a banana chocolate waffle, and Behlen ordered a caramel waffle. The snacks took about fifteen minutes to prepare, while we were waiting, we found some nice couches and snapped our cameras away.

The food was alright, although our waffles were too well done and tasted a bit stale. The coffee was alright. Also, I have tasted better foam, but I got the coffee mainly for the HK icon on top of my latte.

 

Banana chocolate waffle (top) and HK latte (bottom)

After we ate, we promptly got up to give out seats to many groups that we waiting to take our seats. Amongst them, groups of giggly college-aged foreign girls. Although, I probably could find a better place to spend W15,000, it would never replace the fact that I went to a cafe dedicated solely to HK ^^

HK coaster

                                                              HK water jug

       Directions:

• Take Line 2  to Hongik Univ. Station. 

• Go out of Exit 9 and walk one block towards a busy intersection

• Make a left on the intersection, you will be facing Hongik Univ. entrance

• Go up the street, you will pass Mister Donut on your right and H &M on your left. 

• Go about four streets and turn right after the Taco Bell into a bust street filled with clothing stores

• Hello Kitty Cafe will be on your left