One of my friends took us to their favorite cafe, Hemong Pene Coffeehouse (헤몽페네 커피집), and the National Folk Museum of Korea, Paju, several months ago. The cafe specialized in hand-drip coffee and selling handmade crafts of various types from local artisans. The coffee was really good and they even gave us each a toasted marshmallow!
handmade bags and vases on a tablebooks and drawingscolorful jewelrypaintings and tapestries on the wallvase of flowers on a long tableclose-up of the tapestriespaper nautical star light next to a light fashioned with branchesview of one of the tables with the decorated wall behind ittapestry and light bulbBlair Witch, that you?corner with some artwork on the walls and a giant teddy bearanother view of the interiorsome more tables and chairsWritten in blue on the back of a chair: “Intense love/does not measure/it just gives”front side of the chair featuring a picture of a person holding out a heart underneath an umbrella while it’s raining to another personhandmade clothing for salebookshelf full of books and knick-knackshot choco/ice choco! sign with a smiling snowman on itordering window, with the menu written around the open window in white chalk on the blackboardmore things for salepretty blue chairs and wooden table out on the porchclose-up of the blue painted wooden tabletwo chairs side by side in front of a sign that reads “Roasting Cafe”view of a window into the cafe that reads, “Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love.”mural on the side of the cafe of two people sitting on a bench, with the name of the cafe added with what appears to be wood onto the wallbirdhouse that reads “I love coffee”entrance to the cafe, upcycled wooden slats along the porch, with one removed and laying on top of anotheranother mural on the building of a couple on a swing hung from a flying fish, with the words “All you need is love and more Coffee!”cafe signageexterior of the cafe, which is a cute little houseview of the porchhand drip coffee of the day in a pretty ceramic cup and saucertoasted marshmallow as service!
Next, we went to the National Folk Museum of Korea, Paju. It was on the smaller side, but the collection was in good condition and well-organized.
The first section had more traditional objects, from teacups to serving trays, as well as a few more modern collections, such as beer and soju glasses.
colorful entrance to the museum, featuring Hangeul and Hanjasmall vasesa vase from 1957beer glassessoju glassestea kettle and teacup setsalcohol bottles?a kiosk that was an interactive guide to the exhibits–you could zoom in on each object and it would give you more information about ityakgwa (Korean dessert) moldvideo display in one of the roomsmother-of-pearl inlay tray table, known as soban 소반all types of beautiful tray tablesceladon jarmore vaseswooden toy figurine featuring someone riding a strange looking lion or cat of some kindHanja writing plateHanja dojang (name stamp), possibly?
What I really loved was the Archives room, which featured lots of nice tables and chairs, interactive displays, and displays of books and photography.
signageinteractive display boardplastic figurinesif you inserted a figurine, this machine would give you information on itI’m old. You don’t need to tell me how to play a VHS tape.orange chairs that I absolutely do need in my lifetables and chairstable and chair nooktiered flooring for sittingview of the roomanother viewphotography on displaymore photography on displayI would have bought this if they let me. Magazine cover, reading “WHAT a Brew-TIFUL DAY!” featuring a cafe scene of people drawn and colored in black, white, and green, with shiny gold accentsa book about catsa book called “Yummy Yummy Busan” featuring fish on the cover
According to this Korea Herald article, “overturning people’s notions of a typical museum” was one of the key things in mind when designing the museum, which opened in 2021. Instead of having information next to the displays, there are simply codes which you can then type in into the kiosk to find out more information. As a bonus, the information has been translated into a couple different languages, so if you don’t speak Korean, you don’t have to have a translator open on your app for your entire visit to read labels.
If you head out towards the National Folk Museum in Paju, you can also stop by the Hyeri Art Village, located nearby!
Koffee & Kpop 
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