이리 Café

Genus: Café
Space & Place: 5 minutes south of exit 4
Hours: varies. Usually open by noon.

이리 is probably the closest thing to my neighborhood café. “Closest” not because there are a dearth of cafes in Hongdae. Just the opposite, therefore I don’t get to spend as much time at 이리 as I should, therefore perhaps I am justified in shying from the familiarity of “my café” or "spot". Nonetheless 이리 is my favorite place to sit and have a coffee anywhere in Seoul. Housed basement ways of a run-of-the-mill super, 이리 affects an art gallery cum library feel when you enter. Walls adorned with local artwork, much of which is shown here for the first time and probably for sale although someone living doley doesn't have much desire to purchase art. These exhibits run the gamut of the futuristic musings of our video-gamed culture, ghastly busts of plaster, or as in my first visit a 4 x 3 nude oil on canvas of the owner. There is also a sizable amount of reading material from design industry rags, Richard Avedon collections and the Council on Foreign Relations bi-monthly.

All the mishmash going on the café resembles a lived in, well, basement. The right level of clutter (they have a hard time throwing away magazines) a wonderfully quirky music selection and really good coffee. Ask people who have lived here a while about what the coffee used to be like and then bask in the fact that it is 2008. 이리. Mocha lattes seem to be everywhere, but I recommend an espresso or americano, both of which are sharp, bitter and pack a caffeinated effect worthy of the space. Bring mints (Americanos have free refills). The tea can be good as well and worth it when you want something different. Milk tea tops that list

I’m not a smoker so this place can be overwhelming. I suppose the smoke provides some authenticity but we all know that word is silly. Anyway, if you don’t smoke just come on Thursdays when it is non-smoking all day long. Also, it blows having to walk upstairs with a pair of keys to use the bathroom. Be careful as someone could be taking a shower.

I'D GO THERE: as much as I can. 이리 is in a dog-fight with Design Museum's cafe as the archetype of the cafe scene in Hongdae.
GOOD PLACE TO: be seen with a mac book-pro; have long-winded conversations and look really pretentious doing it; pretend you know something about art.
NOT SO GOOD FOR: first dates. Not quite intimate enough and a bit too loud and vibrant. You'll want to people-watch or stare at the walls instead...