Escape room in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon: Catacomb theme at Cube Escape

A rare free evening! Trying to figure out what to do with such precious time, I decided to put my brain to work. So off I went to Cube Escape Daejeon Dunsan branch.

Look up and you'll spot it right away!

I visited with a reservation for the 9pm slot.

The theme I chose was CATACOMB: Gate of Wailing.

Photography is banned inside the theme room, so I'll skip spoilers and instead share the store atmosphere, how tough it actually was, and parking info.

Is there parking at Cube Escape Daejeon Dunsan?

Cube Escape Daejeon Dunsan branch has a basement parking lot with room for 6 cars total. I drove there and was a little worried about parking, but since I arrived about 15 minutes early — maybe because it was a weekday — there were still 3 spots open, so parking wasn't hard at all.

The lot itself isn't huge, so it probably varies depending on when you visit. If you're planning to drive, this is worth keeping in mind.

After parking, take the elevator up to the 5th floor and Cube Escape is right there.

Inside Cube Escape Daejeon Dunsan: the lobby and waiting area

Walking inside, the space was bigger than I expected and the atmosphere was spot-on.

Gray walls, exposed brick, and dim lighting — I got tense before even stepping into the room, haha.

Posters for various themes hung on the walls — Cinderella, Titanic, Obsession, Gate of Wailing, Organ Trafficking, The Martian — and the area was packed with Polaroid photos of past visitors.

Looking at all the photos taken after successful escapes, I wondered — could we leave one too...? This is about our fifth escape room as a couple, I think. Goal: escape within the time limit!!

The waiting area had headbands and props for commemorative photos, plus a phone charger available for use.

How hard is "Catacomb: Gate of Wailing," and how does entry work?

Catacomb: Gate of Wailing is rated fairly high in difficulty (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) with a 1-hour time limit. Even the description on the sign — 'Catacomb, a space of oppression and secrets' — gave off a serious not-gonna-be-easy vibe.

Before entering, you can't bring phones, smartwatches, cameras, lighters, pens, food, etc. into the theme room — everything goes in a locker.

Following staff instructions, you scan a QR code and sign a pledge not to leak the escape room theme.

You line up with your group, place a hand on the shoulder of the person in front, close your eyes, and follow a staff member inside. After a short explanation from staff, once you hear them leave, that's when it starts.

All 3 hints used: did the couple escape in 1 hour?

Now for the important part — the actual result. We failed to escape....🤣

"Isn't this it?" "Why is this here?" "Should we use a hint now or not... haha" — we worked pretty hard at it.

That rush when you solve one puzzle and move on to the next stage — that's really the fun of escape rooms, I think.

Solving puzzles well on your own matters, but so does carefully observing your surroundings and constantly sharing what you find with the person you're with. What really got us in the end was the last puzzle.

We used a hint and got all the way to the end, but wow, it was tough.😂 Time was running out, we were getting more and more anxious... it felt like it should work, but it just wouldn't.

In the end, we couldn't solve the last puzzle and the time limit ran out!

A staff member came in and told us the answer to the puzzle we couldn't crack. We failed to escape, but getting so close made the disappointment even bigger. Even after leaving, we kept talking about it — "Ohh, that's how we were supposed to do it!" — haha. Honestly, I think that's part of the fun of escape rooms too.

Is Cube Escape worth it for an indoor date in Dunsan-dong?

Having tried it myself, Cube Escape Daejeon Dunsan branch works well as a Daejeon date course, and it's also great for a day when you want to hang out with friends in a different way. Since it's an indoor activity unaffected by weather, it's a good option for hot summer days or rainy days too.

Personally, I also loved the atmosphere of the hallway leading to the theme room.

The worn brick and dim lighting built tension the moment you started walking down the hallway — like, 'is this where it begins?'

Even without filming inside, the photos alone captured Cube Escape's distinctive atmosphere well enough. Next time, I'm trying a different theme and definitely escaping within the time limit!🔥 If you're looking for a different kind of activity to do with a friend or partner, I'd recommend giving the escape room at Cube Escape Daejeon Dunsan branch a try😊