Seoul’s mornings have their own unique rhythm. The sound of scooters on the streets, the hustle and bustle of fresh vegetable stalls, and the soft hiss of an espresso machine somewhere in the distance.
And there I was, immersed in this rhythm, wandering the lively streets of Mangwon-dong. Every corner tells a different story. Record stores, small bakeries, shops filled with flowers… A vegan-friendly neighborhood.
And then, following the scent of lightly roasted coffee, I came across a small sign: “PP Coffee.”
It doesn’t have a flashy sign. No bright lights, no large windows.
But the aroma of coffee definitely compels you to step inside.
A small space. A few tables, an old coffee roaster in the corner, coffee beans in glass jars, and the faint crackling sound of burning coal inside the room.
The man behind the counter looked up, smiled, and asked in a calm voice:
“Soft or strong?”
That was all.
No caramel macchiato, no creamy latte… Just coffee.
I chose the “strong” one.
The man nodded slightly, weighed the beans on a hand scale, and began the ritual of making coffee.
There was order and patience in every movement. The circular flow of water, the aroma of ground coffee, the silent steam from the pot…
There was no rush. Just rhythm.
The Roots of Coffee – A Thousand-Year-Old Story
As I watched him, I thought about coffee’s own journey.
It all began centuries ago in the highlands of Ethiopia, when a shepherd noticed that his goats became more energetic after eating red berries.
From there, it spread to Yemen, then to Istanbul, Venice, Paris, and London.
It became much more than a beverage: it became a companion to ideas, stories, and revolutions.
In Korea, however, the history of coffee is more recent.
The first coffee was drunk in King Gojong’s palace in the late 19th century. At that time, coffee was a luxury drink, a symbol of modernization.
But over time, it changed. Now it accompanies students’ mornings, office workers’ breaks, and artists’ moments of inspiration.
And now, in this small Mangwon cafe, it was as if all this history had come together in a cup.
The Man Who Doesn’t Rush a Cup of Coffee
The owner of PP Coffee has been brewing coffee in this corner for over 20 years.
The gray in his hair, the calm in his hands, and the serenity on his face… each has been shaped by time.
Most of the equipment in the shop is his own creation: the roasting machine, the filter stands, even the filters themselves.
He calls his brewing technique “Yung Drip.”
In this method, the coffee is filtered through a special cloth filter instead of a paper filter. This preserves the coffee’s natural oils, resulting in a smoother, more layered flavor.
In an interview, he said:
“Machines can make coffee, but they can’t tell a story.”
And that’s exactly right. Every sip you take at PP Coffee is a story. It makes you feel the connection between people, coffee, time, and patience.
What a Taste Reveals
When my coffee finally arrived, there was no frills, no foam. Just a simple cup of coffee, simple yet meaningful.
It was a coffee that tasted deep like earth at first sip, leaving a fruity aftertaste.
The aromas that unfolded over time were like a song… slow, meaningful, lasting.
She placed a small piece of homemade cake beside it.
“I make it myself,” she said with a smile.
When the light sweetness of that cake combined with the richness of the coffee… it became not just a drink, but an experience.
The Scent Remained Inside Me
When I stepped outside, the sun had risen, and Mangwon was fully awake.
But inside me, that calmness, that coffee scent, still lingered.
There are hundreds of cafes in Seoul. Some are modern, some are flashy, some are designed for social media.
But PP Coffee is different.
It’s a place you go not to take pictures, but to remember the meaning of coffee.
Here, coffee isn’t just a drink,
it’s a moment,
a sharing,
a silence.
For Those Who Want to Go
Address: 1st Floor, Donggyo-ro 23, Mapo-gu, Seoul
