The French phrase on ne sait jamais translates as "you never know" (or "you can't really tell") and indeed, it's hard to tell exactly what the concept of this café on Itaewon-ro 54-gil is. Director Park Ki-dae says the tiled walls and floors most likely cause customers to mistake it for a bathhouse concept, while others even think it's a Dr. Fish (a café chain in Seoul famous for fish pedicures). So what is it really? As Park puts it: “People can envision what they want from it.” From the blue bath-like rectangle in the center of the café one can face the kitchen from which fresh French, American, Japanese and Italian-style baked goods come out—the most famous item being their Italian tiramisu. Throngs of people come on the weekend (beware the lines) for the soft and delicious desserts paired with Anthracite coffee.
When thinking about the revolution of Itaewon, one’s mind immediately jumps to the side streets of Haebangchon and the climb up Gyeongridan. English friendly and exploding with craft beer pubs, foreign food restaurants and artsy cafes galore, it can be easy to ignore the fact that the other side of Itaewon is just as lively. Hidden behind the Hyundai Card Library, Itaewon-ro 54-gil combines the poshness of Cheongdam-dong with the creativity of Sangsu-dong. The street circles around to Daesagwanro-5 gil (daesangwan means “embassy”), which leads deep into Hannam-dong where many of Seoul's diplomatic families live and where it's not uncommon to see a car with a blue license plate drive past. The street maintains an ironic balance between the models, celebrities, hipsters and wannabes buying 8,000 detox juices with grandmas gossiping in front of the local senior citizen center. With the neighborhood's healthy eats, nicely-scented goods and smartly displayed high-end magazines, the word "clean" comes to mind—no garbage in the streets, no racks of 1,000 won socks and no fast food restaurants. As the year comes to a close, go for a brisk walk around Itaewon-ro 54-gil and enjoy something new right by the neighborhood you know.
