Namhansanseong café for jujube tea and annex rooftop views: Sum

From Namhansanseong Course 1 to a Geomdansan hike, then coffee at Sum

The weather was too~~ good, so we headed to Namhansanseong for a drive and a light walk. We picked Namhansanseong Course 1. But we took a wrong turn and ended up hiking Geomdansan instead lol. We came to stroll and ended up mountain climbing... 😆🤣😇

The timing was awkward and we weren't prepared, so we decided to power through a bit of the mountain and then head to a café for coffee and a rest. We went to Sum, famous as a view spot where you can feel Namhansanseong's nature up close.

Where is Café Sum? Address, hours and parking in Namhansanseong-myeon

• Location: 108-11 Ojeon-gil, Namhansanseong-myeon, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Mon–Fri 10:00–20:30 (last order 20:00) / Sat–Sun 10:00–21:30 (last order 21:00)
• Parking: available

There are a lot of cafés around Namhansanseong, but I'd heard so much about the mountain view at Sum that I was excited even before walking in. It was my first time there, and the place turned out bigger than expected, with such good surroundings that we ended up spending a relaxed stretch of time.

The parking area across the street. It's spacious, so parking was easy.

You have to drive a little further toward the mountain to reach the café, and maybe that's why it's surrounded by mountains and trees.

Inside Sum: a two-story layout with window seats facing the mountain

Walking inside, the interior was bigger and cleaner than it looked from outside. It's a two-story structure with high ceilings, which gave it an airy feel. The seating was divided into several sections with decent spacing between tables, making it comfortable to sit and relax. The window seats had such a wide-open outdoor view that I liked the place from first impression.

They also had a good variety of house-made bakery items.

Sum's biggest strength is definitely being able to drink coffee while looking out at nature. The weather was great today, so we grabbed a spot outdoors. But first, I was too curious about the space, so we went exploring.

Main building floors, rooftop and annex: what to see at Sum

This is the first floor, where we came in.

We went up to the second floor too.

Stepping outside the second floor, there were stairs leading up to the rooftop, so we climbed them. The wide-open view was refreshing to the eyes.

The second floor of the annex, connected to the main building. It already felt like autumn here.

We went up to the annex's rooftop too. The mountain felt even closer from here.

The annex's first floor space. It looks like it might be available for rental. The café is so big and divided into so many spaces that exploring it was genuinely fun.

What we ordered at Sum: mother's jujube tea and almond queen amann

While we were exploring, my friend went ahead and ordered for us. We got a caffe latte (₩7,000), the signature mother's jujube tea (₩9,000), and a light almond queen amann (₩4,900).

My mother's jujube tea. I was originally going to get coffee, but seeing jujube tea on a café menu was unusual enough that I wanted to try it. It was my first time buying jujube tea, and it was rich and sweet, really good. Maybe because the name itself feels so homey, it gave a different kind of comfort than drinking coffee.

My friend's caffe latte was rich and smooth, she said it was delicious. And the almond queen amann had a nutty almond flavor with a crisp outside and pastry layers still intact inside, pairing well with tea. Still, I think bread does taste better with coffee 😁😆

Why Sum is worth a return visit every season

Sitting with a cup of tea in front of me, gazing blankly at the mountain, I felt like I was properly resting even without doing anything. Just looking at the green mountain and its surroundings seemed to clear up my cluttered thoughts a little.

Looking at the mountain made me want to see how its colors change with the seasons — light green in spring, deep green in summer, autumn foliage, and snow-dusted in winter. Since the scenery changes with each season, I feel like every visit here would have a different atmosphere.

We were drinking tea on the balcony but started feeling a chill, so we moved indoors. It was nice that you could feel plenty of nature even from inside the café.

True to its name, Sum was a good place to catch your breath and rest for a while. A café where you can comfortably relax surrounded by nature. With its spacious layout, natural views, a variety of teas, and tasty bakery items, it's a place I'd want to visit again if I come back to Namhansanseong. Autumn foliage season will be here soon. I definitely want to come back then.