Hanok café in Gwangju with courtyard seating: Hoyang Horim

While I was out with my mom, the lovely atmosphere of Hoyang Horim (호양호림), a hanok café in Gwangju’s Yangnim-dong, caught my eye, so we stopped by 🙂 It had a hanok space with a courtyard and even floor seating, plus a great variety of desserts that suited a hanok café, from injeolmi waffles to dried persimmon sando. What I remember most is how much my mom loved the injeolmi waffle, haha. Let me show you each of the things I tried!

Hoyang Horim, with a hanok gate and courtyard

Exterior

As you follow the alley, you’ll spot Hoyang Horim’s sign on the hanok gate. The tiled roof and wooden door have been kept intact, so the mood feels completely different from an ordinary café from the entrance onward, haha.

Entrance

Inside, there was a small courtyard in front of the hanok building, along with a raised outdoor seating area. I thought it would be so nice to sit outside with coffee on a beautiful day.

The building viewed from the courtyard had a real hanok feel too. With wooden pillars, roof tiles, and a low stone border, it felt like a space that people looking for a hanok café atmosphere in Gwangju’s Yangnim-dong would love.

An interior with picture windows and floor seating

Inside the café

Once inside, the courtyard was visible through the large windows, so it never felt closed in. The wood tones and hanok structure continued throughout, making the atmosphere from outside flow naturally indoors.

There was also a separate notice at the entrance with rules for guests visiting with pets. If you’re planning to bring your pet, it would be good to check the notice before going in.

The interior preserved the hanok structure while keeping the tables and lighting neat and modern. There were window seats and regular tables, so it looked comfortable whether you came alone or on a date as a pair :) There was also a separate area where you could sit on the floor. With low tables and cushions ready, it really felt like relaxing in a hanok, haha.

The floor seating was by the windows too, with a view outside, which made it feel even nicer. I think people who want to settle in comfortably and chat for a long time would prefer these seats over the regular tables.

Self-service station and photo spot

Cushions, blankets, and high chairs were neatly arranged at the self-service station. It looked convenient since you could take any items you needed yourself.

Further inside, there was a small photo spot using a mirror and lighting. It even had the Hoyang Horim lettering on the wall, which matched the café’s mood nicely and made it a good place to take a photo ☺️

Review event

There was a Naver receipt-review event notice by the counter. Coffee beans and drip bags were displayed beside it, so it was nice to browse while waiting for our order.

Desserts and drinks that suited the hanok atmosphere

Desserts

There were more desserts than I expected, so I spent quite a while deciding what to get, haha. The display case held items that suited the hanok café mood, including injeolmi waffles, gaeseong juak (traditional fried rice cakes), and dried persimmon desserts, and you could choose after seeing them in person.

There were also notices for Wi-Fi and affiliated parking on one side. Parking in Yangnim-dong can be something to think about, so if you’re driving, I’d recommend checking the parking information before you go in.

We ordered the original injeolmi waffle, a vanilla bean cream latte, a decaf black sesame cream latte, and dried persimmon sando. My mom and I visited together, and with two desserts and two drinks, the table looked wonderfully full from the start.

For drinks, we chose a vanilla bean cream latte and a decaf black sesame cream latte. Both were topped with cream, so they looked rich from the start, and the black sesame option especially felt like a perfect match for the hanok café atmosphere, haha.

Of everything we had, the injeolmi waffle was especially right up my mom’s alley, haha. It came generously dusted with injeolmi powder and topped with ice cream, making it easy to enjoy bite by bite. My mom really enjoyed it, so I thought it would be a good one to order when visiting with parents too.

The dried persimmon sando combined dried persimmon with cream cheese and figs. The chewy texture of dried persimmon, the softness of cream cheese, and the texture of the figs came together, making it feel like a slightly different way to enjoy traditional dried persimmon.

From its hanok exterior to its courtyard and floor seating, Hoyang Horim was a beautiful space and a great Yangnim-dong café to visit for the atmosphere ☺️ There were plenty of desserts that suited the hanok setting too, and it was even more memorable because my mom enjoyed the injeolmi waffle so much, haha. If you’re planning a café date with your mom or looking for an atmospheric hanok café in Yangnim-dong, it could be worth stopping by. Next time, I’d like to try another traditional dessert too 🤍