December's things to do

Well known for its simple designs and fresh coffee, Alex the Coffee is no stranger to the café industry. The Yongin location, from where the beans are brought daily, was awarded the Red Dot Design Award in 2013 for its ability to “convey the authenticity of the coffee,” and the Seongbuk-dong location, which opened late last year, doesn’t fall far from the tree. After ordering coffee from the first floor, you can take your drink to any spot on the second floor that’s available. While the menu has your typical Americano, there are slightly more interesting options such as the Alexano, the Fat Americano and the White Blanc. Lounge jazz music plays throughout the café and a portion of the seating area on the second floor resembles a greenhouse. Having an ice coffee in the café’s outdoor space during the summer could be killer, but we were warned that there are already lines out the door every weekend.

Salmon sashimi lovers, here’s one for you. Mibbeudong is famed for its tomato salmon noodles – a refreshing, cold tomato broth packed with vegetables and long strands of salmon sashimi cut lengthways to resemble noodles. If you’re a little less excited over this, another popular item on the menu here is the Mibbeudong itself, a rice moat topped with a tower of mixed sashimi, uni and ikura.

You might have seen Sinsajeon on social media – honeycomb makgeolli, anyone? While the space sees a good number of tourists and international guests visiting, the food and drinks definitely live up to the hype. Customers can choose between a whole list of different makgeolli to have with their honeycomb-filled cups, which pairs perfectly with a serving of assorted Korean pancakes and kimchi stew.