Hongdae escape room Pyramid's Secret: last-lock fail at Cube Escape

I love escape rooms, so I went back to Cube Escape Hongdae Branch. Last time I did Hansel and Gretel, a level-4 theme, and this time I tried Pyramid's Secret. Spoiler up front: the immersion was really good, so I want to recommend this theme to anyone looking for an escape room in Hongdae.

Where is Cube Escape Hongdae Branch and how much does it cost?

Cube Escape Hongdae Branch is an escape room café on the 4th floor of Mugwang Building, 15 Yanghwa-ro 16-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 402m from Hongik University Station Exit 9. Prices are ₩22,500 per person for 2 people, ₩20,000 for 3, ₩19,000 for 4, and ₩18,000 for 5 or more, and you can book through Naver Reservations or their own website.

• Name: Cube Escape Hongdae Branch
• Address: 4F Mugwang Building, 15 Yanghwa-ro 16-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (402m from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 9)
• Directions: From Exit 9 of Hongik University Station, go straight along the main road, then head up the slope next to the original Baeknyeon Tojong Samgyetang restaurant, opposite the Hyundai Motors building — it's on the 4th floor of the Harmony Mart building (Ilpyeonjangeo is on the 2nd floor)
• Hours: Mon-Thu 11:00-23:45 / Fri-Sat 10:00-00:05 / Sun 10:00-23:45
• Price: ₩22,500 per person (2 people) / ₩20,000 (3) / ₩19,000 (4) / ₩18,000 (5+)
• Reservations: Naver Reservations and the official website
• Discounts: ₩2,000 off per elementary/middle/high school student, Naver review event discount (20% off for themes starting before 13:00 or after 22:00, ₩4,000 off otherwise)
• Notes: No parking, no entry for intoxicated guests

You have to arrive 10 minutes before your slot! It took about a 9-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 9. There's no parking, so please come by public transit if you can ㅜㅜ

What I liked most about Cube Escape Hongdae Branch

Having a restroom inside was so nice. And it's clean too.

Before you enter: prep and how hints work

First you sit down at the counter, and a staff member comes over to explain the theme and how the locks work.

To get extra hints, you scan a QR code before entering. We got an extra hint, so we used 5 hints total >.<

For reference, hints work by entering a hint code on your phone, and there's something to watch out for here. We accidentally entered the hint code for the previous puzzle and lost a hint for nothing. When entering a hint code, make sure to double-check exactly which puzzle number you're on!

After storing your bags in the locker room, you go straight in. Please make sure your phone is on silent :)

What kind of theme is Pyramid's Secret?

Cube Escape Hongdae Branch has 8 themes in total.

Among them, Pyramid's Secret is a level-3 theme, and it's not one of the few horror themes here. Actually, both my boyfriend last time and my friend this time are scared of horror themes, so I ended up skipping horror again. Next time I really want to try a horror theme.

It runs for 60 minutes total, and the story goes: you and your group get trapped while exploring a pyramid and have to use all the clues to escape. Even people who don't want horror can enjoy this comfortably — no scary music, no scary atmosphere at all. But being the lowest difficulty doesn't mean it's easy.

Pyramid's Secret vs Hansel and Gretel: which theme is better?

Having done both themes, I personally found Pyramid's Secret much more fun. Hansel and Gretel was fun too, but it had 1-2 puzzles that made me go 'huh?' Pyramid's Secret had none of that.

The immersion was great and it felt like a really well-made theme. The room itself was decorated like an actual pyramid, which really boosted the immersion. There was a puzzle that required observation skills you'd never have figured out without a hint, but even that felt well-designed rather than unfair.

I'm the kind of maniac who rewatches deduction shows like The Genius and Bloody Game multiple times, and since I'd watched them recently, it actually helped a ton with solving the puzzles!!

Did we escape Pyramid's Secret in 60 minutes?

The prize for successfully escaping depends on how many hints you used. Use 3 or more hints and you get oatmeal cookies. No hints gets you a polaroid + discount coupon + yakgwa (traditional Korean sweet)... I'll build up my skills and escape without a single hint next time..

Here's the twist. We actually got the very last puzzle right, but the lock wouldn't open — maybe something was off with it — and we were stuck there for 10 minutes. Turns out later we had the right answer but must have set the lock wrong. So sadly we failed to escape right at the finish line. Disappointing, but it was still so much fun!

Final verdict on Pyramid's Secret at Cube Escape Hongdae

If you're looking for an escape room in Hongdae, I recommend Pyramid's Secret at Cube Escape Hongdae Branch. It's not a horror theme, so even people who hate scary stuff can enjoy it, and the room design and immersion are really good. The puzzle quality is clean too, nothing feels forced, so you can solve it and have fun. It's close to Hongik University Station and there's a review event discount, so if you're planning an escape room outing with friends or a partner, give it a try. Next time I'm definitely doing a horror theme.