Yeonnam-dong café with a two-floor layout and Nox coffee: Noknok

Today I want to introduce a café that's perfect for this sunny summer weather, and also great for studying with bread on the side. Let's get into it!

Noknok hours, parking and how to get there

• Daily | 08:30 - 23:30
• 🚗 Parking available on weekdays after 17:30, and on weekends
• 🚊 About a 15-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3

Walking along the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail from Hongik for about 15 minutes,

I finally arrived at Noknok! 💚 Maybe because of the name (nok means green), the building really stands out with its green color. Even though Yeonnam-dong is basically my second hometown, I realized I hadn't come down this part of the forest trail much — but it's just a 15-minute stroll like this.

Looking closer, it actually says 'knock knock.' It seems bigger than I expected.

There's a spot near the entrance that looks like a parking lot, which seems to confuse a lot of people. The actual parking lot is on the side with the electronic sign wall, just so you know!

Inside the first floor of Noknok, a large Yeonnam-dong café

The first floor of Noknok has a sleek black-and-green interior and is full of people studying. Walking in, there were lots of lush green plants. It felt like such a good match for this cool, sunny summer weather.

Once inside, the very sleek interior catches your eye right away — kind of a black-green feel? 🖤💚🖤💚 Looking around, there were so many people studying. I was so jealous of anyone who lives nearby.

This huge table for large groups totally grabbed my attention haha. It looks perfect for people coming in groups.

Noknok even has a second floor. It's a rare large-scale café for Yeonnam-dong. The first floor stays open until 23:30, but the second floor apparently closes at 21:00.

What's on the bread and sandwich counter at Noknok

Walking further in, there's bread on display. Along with the bread, there are sandwiches too, so it seems perfect to grab a bite while working.

I went in the evening, and a lot of the bread had already sold out, which tells you how popular it is 🥹. The bread here seems to be quite popular.

Going in even further, there's this nice-atmosphere spot too. It really matches Noknok's overall vibe.

Noknok's nice-vibe spot number 2 💚

The women's restroom is on the first floor, and the men's restroom is on the second floor. Shall we head up to the second floor now?

Working on a laptop upstairs: Noknok's bright second-floor seats

Unlike the dim first floor, Noknok's second floor is bright and great for working. Just note the second floor closes at 21:00, so if you're planning to stay late, the first floor is the better bet.

The first floor had a pretty chic, dark vibe, but the second floor is really bright. Personally, if I were working, I prefer bright lighting, so I'd probably set up on the second floor haha.

The second floor feels like the kind of space where a deep conversation could happen. These chairs in particular look super comfortable.

How to order at Noknok and the 1,900 won takeout americano

All menu items at Noknok are ordered via kiosk. A for-here americano is ₩3,800, but if you take it to go, it's only ₩1,900 — that's a special point that sets Noknok apart.

Now I'm back down on the first floor.

Once the coffee comes out, you can easily grab a straw and a lid.

Noknok has an open layout, so you can watch the staff making coffee right in front of you, front-row style. I watched them make mine for a bit too ✌🏻

Personally, I really like when a café has water set out separately. I usually like mixing water into my iced americano, so I appreciate places where I can grab water myself without having to ask staff. This point was so nice.

Noknok menu review: Basque cheesecake and Nox coffee

My order finally arrived. Let's go through what I got, one by one. The iced americano is pretty standard, so let's focus on the other two.

1. Basque cheesecake (7,900 won)

The Basque cheese cake had cream on top, which made it even softer than it already is. But it wasn't heavy or greasy, so it paired perfectly with the iced americano haha.

2. Nox coffee (4,400 won)

I got curious about this one just from the name and ordered it. It seems to be kind of Noknok's signature coffee. The taste is somewhere between a vanilla latte and a regular latte. It's like a vanilla latte that's not too sweet, and it was so, so good! .•ᰔᩚ

If I go back, this is the menu item I'd recommend the most.

It's been a while since I took a walk along the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail, and I came away feeling refreshed and green 🍃