Namhansanseong bakery café for basil scallion bread with mom: Sum

It was a day of bright, blazing sunshine 🌞 The weather was so nice that my mom and I went for a drive toward Namhansanseong in Gwangju, Gyeonggi. I'd heard there was a café near Namhansanseong with pretty, lush green floor-to-ceiling windows, so that's where we headed: 📌Sum (숨). It's a great drive-out spot when the weather is like this.

Where Sum is and how to get there

Sum is at 108-11 Ojeon-gil, Namhansanseong-myeon, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do. You turn off the main Namhansanseong road and end up in a quiet village valley.

The road is a little winding, but maybe that's why it feels more like a trip when you arrive. The mood is definitely different from a city café.

Is parking easy at Sum?

There's plenty of parking in front of the café, so it was easy to visit by car. That's the nice thing about suburban cafés: the parking is wide and relaxed.

Cafés around Namhansanseong and Gwangju are mostly reached by car, so parking matters, and I was happy with this!

Sum opening hours

• Mon–Fri 10:00 – 20:30 (last order 20:00)
• Sat–Sun 10:00 – 21:30 (last order 21:00)

I heard Sum's closing time is flexible by season. Since it's tucked inside a valley, the closing time may shift a bit in winter when the sun sets early. It's probably worth checking before you go.

Sum's entrance and bakery display

There was a cute ribbon at the entrance. Little touches like this make me stop for a photo. There was also a stone-carved-looking Sum sculpture by the entrance, which suited the nature-surrounded feel of the café.

The first thing that greets you inside is the wide range of baked goods. A bread lover like me gets excited right here. You smell the bread and see the display the moment you walk in, and there's no way to just walk past.

From yeontan-bbang to garlic butter bread and mont blanc

Sum even had yeontan-bbang (briquette-shaped bread). The look is so cute. I'm the type who takes a second look at unusual bread like this.

There were also hearty, tasty-looking breads like garlic butter bread and mont blanc,

Salt bread, mammoth bread and scones, plus apple pie and butter tteok

There were lighter options to go with coffee too, like salt bread, mammoth bread and scones. The variety was bigger than I expected, so choosing was half the fun.

Desserts like apple pie and butter tteok (buttery rice cake) were packed in too. Even after a meal, I think you'd end up picking a bread or two with this lineup.

Sum's window views and 1st- and 2nd-floor seating

The main draw of Sum is the floor-to-ceiling windows filled with green scenery. I'd been distracted by the bread, and when I looked up, the view was seriously stunning. Lush green outside the window, and I felt properly healed for the first time in a while. The seating is relaxed, and the space is wide enough that it doesn't feel stuffy.

The 2nd floor had plenty of seats too. It felt different from the 1st floor, and was nice for staying quietly.

The green window view is so pretty. With sunlight coming in and the scenery outside, you feel good just sitting there. Coffee matters at a place like this, but honestly, isn't the view what you come for?

The lighting was pretty too. The space is clean yet warm, so it's nice for staying a long time.

Is it okay to go alone?

Sum also has seats where you can sit comfortably on your own. It looked like a good place to read or work on a laptop and spend a quiet time.

The 2nd-floor window side has a more open view

When I went to the 2nd-floor window side, the view was even more amazing. The sightline is a bit more open than downstairs, and the green scenery takes you in at a glance. My mom and I zoned out looking out the window for a good while.

What we ordered at Sum

• Iced americano
• Strawberry latte
• Basil scallion bread
• Chocolate croissant

That's what we ordered. It was so hot that I was desperate for a cold drink.

Iced americano and strawberry latte

Sum's iced americano was clean and went well with bread, and the strawberry latte looked pretty from the start.

It was so hot that day, and one big sip of the strawberry latte instantly lifted my mood. Sweet and cold, perfect for a hot day.

Just keep gazing outside at the green view. This is exactly why you come to a suburban café. Away from the noisy city, sitting and looking at greenery, I felt at ease.

Basil scallion bread and chocolate croissant

Sum's baked goods, the basil scallion bread and chocolate croissant, were better than I expected. The basil scallion bread was fragrant and salty, and went well with coffee, while the chocolate croissant was sweet and nice as a dessert. With so many kinds of bread, I'd like to try other ones next time.

The best spot at Sum is the window seat

A window seat opened up and we quickly moved over. This window seat seems to be Sum's main seat. The green view spreads right in front of you, so photos turn out well, and you feel good just sitting there.

Outdoor seats, toilets and self-service packing

Sum has outdoor seats too, but they didn't seem to be in use at the moment because it was too hot. I think sitting outside would be lovely in cooler seasons.

Looking out the window with my mom, we chatted like this and properly healed for the first time in a while.

“I wonder what crop is planted in that field?” “What would it be like to have a second house somewhere like that?”

There are toilets on both the 1st and 2nd floors, and they were very clean. When you stay long in a café, a clean toilet is quietly an important point.

At Sum you can pack leftover bread yourself like this. If you order several breads and have some left, it's nice to be able to take them home easily. I like thoughtful details like this.

Is Sum near Namhansanseong worth a visit?

True to its name (숨 means "breath"), Sum was a good café to stop at for a short breather 🌿 The green floor-to-ceiling windows are pretty, and the space is wide and pleasant, so it was perfect for a drive with my mom. There's a wide range of baked goods, and I was happy with both the drinks and the bread, so it's a decent café stop after a meal too.

Most of all, I loved the time zoning out while looking at the view outside. If you're looking for a café with a view or a drive café around Gwangju or Namhansanseong, it's worth a visit at least once ☕ Next time I'd like to try the outdoor seats on a cooler day.