Red-ribbon Namhansanseong café: less-sweet ginger tea and éclair, Sum

I visited Sum, a Namhansanseong café that's great for resting while you look at the mountains. The sunlight pouring through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows and the wide-open view really stood out.

I had a grapefruit ade and ginger tea along with a pretty éclair. Here's what I noticed, from parking and the space to what I ordered.

Where is Sum in Namhansanseong? Location, hours and parking

Sum is at 108-11 Ojeon-gil, Namhansanseong-myeon, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's open 10:00–20:30 on weekdays (last order 20:00) and 10:00–21:30 on weekends (last order 21:00), and closing times change with the season.

There's a large parking lot in front of the café, and valet parking is available too.

How to get to Sum café

You'll find Sum about 800 m in from the Ojeon-ri farm produce direct market. If you're coming from the Hanam/Gwangju direction, pass the entrance to the Ojeon-ri village hall, go straight for about 400 m, then make a U-turn at the market and head up the road to the café.

Sum's exterior with the big red ribbon

Sum's exterior is gray concrete with a red ribbon as the accent. The gray walls felt clean and modern, and the square windows in different sizes added character to the tidy building.

The red ribbon on the glass entrance looked like a giant gift box. The color contrasts with the calm walls, so it caught my eye before I even went in.

What is Sum's interior like? Floor-to-ceiling windows with mountain views

Inside Sum, blue sky and mountains spread out beyond the big windows. The outdoor terrace seems nice for this time of year, and with so much sunlight coming in, the scenery outside looked even sharper.

The open layout between floors gives a sense of space both up and down. The gray floors and pillars blend together for a calm overall mood.

The tables by the windows especially looked good for resting while looking at the mountains. If you're searching for a café in Gwangju, Gyeonggi and care about the view, this space is worth a look.

The staff were friendly too, which made ordering a nice experience.

The view changes a little depending on which way you sit by the windows, so choosing a seat looks like part of the fun.

Rather than fancy decorations, the huge windows anchor the space, so your eyes naturally go to the scenery. I imagine the view outside looks different again when the seasons change.

Bakery and cake selection at Sum

Sum had a wide variety of baked goods, and next time I'd like to try the yeontan bread (briquette-shaped bun) and the green onion cream cheese salt bread.

Some of the breads had unusual, fun shapes that caught my eye.

I like that you can warm up your bread in the microwave.

Sum café menu and prices in Namhansanseong

Signature drinks

• Mother's Jujube Tea (어머니 대추차) ₩9,000
• Bora Bora Lemonade ₩8,500

Coffee

• Espresso ₩6,000
• Americano ₩6,500
• Café latte ₩7,000
• Flat white ₩7,000
• Beuniburae latte (chestnut latte) ₩8,000
• Mocha cream latte ₩8,500
• Vanilla bean latte ₩8,000
• Einspänner ₩8,000
• Caramel macchiato ₩7,500
• Cappuccino ₩7,000
• Affogato ₩8,000
• Switch to decaf +₩1,000
• Extra shot ₩1,000

Ades and other drinks

• Green grape ade ₩7,500
• Green tangerine omija (five-flavor berry) ade ₩7,500
• Grapefruit ade ₩7,500
• Pomegranate iced tea ₩7,000
• Peach iced tea ₩7,000

Lattes and milk tea

• Homemade strawberry latte ₩8,500
• Chocolate latte ₩7,500
• Jeju matcha latte ₩7,500
• Purple sweet potato latte ₩7,500
• Earl Grey milk tea ₩7,500

Smoothies

• Yogurt smoothie ₩7,500
• Strawberry yogurt smoothie ₩8,000

Tea

• Grapefruit honey black tea ₩7,000
• Ginger tea ₩8,000
• Yuja (citron) tea ₩8,000
• Apple cinnamon tea ₩8,000
• Chamomile ₩6,500
• Lemon Sky ₩6,500
• Peach Green Angel ₩6,500

Bakery bread menu

• Yeontan bread (briquette bun) ₩6,500
• Green onion bread ₩7,000
• Onion bread ₩6,500
• Chestnut loaf bread ₩5,600
• Garlic baguette ₩7,000
• Mont blanc ₩7,000
• Salt bread ₩3,900
• Red bean paste mammoth bread ₩6,200
• Sausage vegetable bread ₩6,000
• Long long sausage bread ₩5,800

What we ordered at Sum and how it tasted

At Sum I ordered a grapefruit ade (₩7,500), ginger tea (₩8,000) and an éclair (₩3,600), which came to ₩18,600 in total. The café requires one drink per person.

Can you order ginger tea less sweet at Sum?

I asked for Sum's ginger tea to be less sweet, and it came out with just the sweetness I wanted, so I enjoyed it. I'd just had meat, and the ginger tea helped with digestion. If sweet drinks are too much for you, it's worth asking when you order.

Grapefruit ade and éclair at Sum

The grapefruit ade was cool and refreshing. The sweet and sour were nicely balanced, just right for me.

The éclair was so pretty that I took photos before eating it. Set next to the drinks, it made the whole table look brighter.

Verdict: Sum as a Namhansanseong drive café

What I'll remember about Sum is the mountain scenery outside the big windows and the wide variety of baked goods.

I think it would also work well as a stop for tea after a meal at a Namhansanseong restaurant.

It's the Gwangju, Gyeonggi café I'll think of on a day when I want to enjoy a Namhansanseong drive and rest while looking at the view.

Who Sum café is best for

• Anyone looking for a Namhansanseong café with a mountain view
• Anyone who wants to enjoy bread and drinks together
• Anyone looking for a large café in Gwangju, Gyeonggi
• Anyone planning a café outing in Gwangju, Gyeonggi