Hongdae escape room café with a Hansel and Gretel theme: Cube Escape

The weather's been so up and down lately, and my girlfriend and I wanted to find something indoors to work our brains a bit, so we headed to Hongdae. Nothing beats a Hongdae escape room for a different kind of date, and after searching around I found Cube Escape Hongdae Branch, which had really good reviews.

Where is Cube Escape Hongdae Branch? Close to Hongik University Station

It's really close to Hongik University Station, so it was super easy to find. The hours run from 11am to 11:45pm, which was perfect for us!

Walking up to the 4th floor of the building, that classic escape room feeling hit right at the entrance and my heart started racing.

The walls were covered with autographs from celebrities who'd visited. Inside, there were lots of spooky, eerie props that really boosted the immersion haha.

Getting ready to enter the Hansel and Gretel theme

We'd booked the Hansel and Gretel theme through the official website. Following the staff's instructions, we scanned a QR code with our phones and went in.

After reading the usage guide and precautions, we found comfy slippers and even chargers waiting for us — such a thoughtful touch haha.

We locked up our phones and watches in the lockers and were ready to go! Hearing there was a prize for escaping with no hints, I felt a little greed creeping in haha.

Inside the room: a witch's cottage from the fairy tale

We closed our eyes and were led into the room, and the atmosphere blew me away! It felt like we were trapped in the witch's cottage from the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale.

I don't know why, but the moment I step into a room like this, chills run down my spine and I get so tense haha. It definitely felt like one of the better-decorated escape room cafés in Hongdae.

The math puzzle that made us use a hint

There was no horror element in this theme, but it still had plenty of that signature tension. The balance of locks and devices was just right, so solving each one felt satisfying.

There were barely any forced or illogical puzzles, and everything flowed with the story. Time flew by and we were completely immersed. Partway through, one really complicated math problem popped up, and honestly, since both of us are humanities majors, we just couldn't figure out the answer haha. We ended up using a hint and moved past it, but aside from that everything went smoothly. Every time a lock clicked open, it gave such a thrilling rush.

Is the Hansel and Gretel theme worth it for couples and friends?

In the end, I had a really fun time haha. As someone who loves escape rooms, I was impressed by the clever devices while solving the puzzles 👍 The fairy tale atmosphere means even beginners could enjoy it fully 👍 If you get stuck, you can use hints, so I'd recommend not agonizing too long and getting a bit of help along the way!

It's great for couples looking for a unique date, and perfect for friends to team up together. If you're tired of the usual Hongdae date of eating and going to a café and want something a bit different, an escape room is a solid choice. It's especially fun with friends, and going as a couple to test each other's problem-solving skills is fun too haha (we almost got into a fight over it though ^^).

We already want to try another theme next time — we walked out saying, 'We cleared this one, so should we try a harder difficulty next?' 😂 If you're looking for a unique date or indoor activity in Hongdae, I'd recommend giving Cube Escape a try!