Evening visit to Hoyang Horim, a Gwangju hanok café in Yangnim-dong

Visited 2026.09.06

I dropped by Hoyang Horim, a roastery hanok café with a serene hanok feel tucked in an alley in Yangnim-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, in the evening. The cozy tiled roof and green bamboo grove together made it easy to relax in the middle of the city, and honestly the atmosphere was just so good.

I got to enjoy the sweet, crispy Dubai chocolate gaeseongjuak (deep-fried rice pastry), the crispy-outside-chewy-inside pumpkin waffle, and a black sesame latte — all delicious.

Where is Hoyang Horim and what are the hours?

It's located at 4 Uwolsun-gil in Yangnim-dong, open daily from 11:00 to 21:00 year-round, so you can drop by whenever suits you.

What are the signature dessert menu items?

You can try a variety of traditional Korean desserts, including the ice cream pumpkin waffle, gaeseongjuak, and Dubai chocolate gaeseongjuak.

Is there a receipt review perk?

If you take part in a Naver receipt photo review, you can receive Hoyang Horim's own specialty drip bag as a gift.

Tucked deep in the Yangnim-dong hanok alley, a serene exterior

Set deep in a hanok alley in Yangnim-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, Hoyang Horim carries a meaningful name meaning "good sunlight, good forest." The softly lit, quiet front gate gave off a calm sense of charm right from the entrance.

The elegant curves of the tiled roof and the cozy courtyard made it such a great spot to rest comfortably and feel warmth without any of the chaos, even in the middle of a busy city. The atmosphere from the entrance alone put me in a good mood before I even stepped inside.

Inside, exposed rafters and floor seating

Stepping inside, the exposed rafters on the ceiling and the warm wooden pillars gave off a natural charm that felt like it was welcoming visitors in warmly.

In particular, the shoes-off floor seating where you sit up on the wooden platform overlooking outside was really comfortable for relaxing calmly. We grabbed a spot here before heading off to choose from the menu.

Inside the display case were carefully made gaeseongjuak and a variety of traditional Korean desserts. The Dubai chocolate juak, which has been getting a lot of buzz lately, also had a place with its irresistible look, and it caught the eye of this dessert lover right away.

On one side of the counter, the Guatemala and Ethiopia hand drip coffee menu from a proper roastery was carefully written out along with the characteristics of each bean. If you take part in the Naver receipt photo review, I'd recommend grabbing one of the fragrant handmade specialty drip bags.

Ordering decaf drinks and desserts, since it was evening

Since it was evening, I wanted to skip the caffeine, so I happily ordered a decaf vanilla bean latte, a decaf black sesame latte, the crispy-outside-chewy-inside pumpkin waffle, and the Dubai chocolate gaeseongjuak, all with a bit of excitement.

Once we picked up our order, we headed back to our seats.

How was the Dubai chocolate gaeseongjuak and pumpkin waffle?

The dessert spread on the round bamboo tray, set on a stylish octagonal table, caught the eye the moment it arrived — a visual that got both my eyes and mouth excited at once.

A slice of warm freshly-baked pumpkin waffle topped with cool vanilla ice cream and roasted bean powder was cool, sweet, and chewy all at once — basically every good flavor combined, haha.

The Dubai chocolate gaeseongjuak, topped with chocolate coating and pistachio kadayif, had a crispy texture followed by a wave of sweet chocolate — really charming. The decaf black sesame latte, topped with a nutty cream, had a rich grain flavor that suited my taste perfectly.

The decaf vanilla bean latte was also great — smooth milk carried a luxurious hint of natural vanilla bean, wrapping everything in a gentle vanilla aroma. This one was my personal favorite! Sweet and fragrant, and the coffee itself was so good it also came through with a nutty note.

The courtyard and bench seating, even better at night

Out in the courtyard, there's bench seating with a cute panda plush sitting nearby, and it was really nice to sit there catching the cool evening breeze. As darkness fell, the soft lighting lit up the tiled roof, adding a romance to the hanok that you can only experience at night.

Soft light spread through the quiet alley, making it the perfect spot to stroll through the courtyard and wind down the day after enjoying something sweet.

Final thoughts on Hoyang Horim

The combination of the handmade desserts I enjoyed in this serene hanok space — the crispy, sweet Dubai chocolate gaeseongjuak and the nutty, smooth decaf drinks — was deeply satisfying from start to finish.

Thanks to the elegant tiled roof, the courtyard, and the peaceful atmosphere all coming together, it gave me a calm, uncluttered break from the hustle of the city and a gift of rest from a tiring day.

If you're looking for an aesthetic café near Yangnim-dong's Penguin Village, want a cozy hanok date with someone special, or just want a good-vibes café anytime, this is a spot full of charm worth stopping by.