Hapjeong self-photo studio couple shoot: Cinema Blue at Heukbaekgongan

Business name: Heukbaekgongan self-photo studio

Location: 336m from Hapjeong Station Exit 3

Hours: 12:00–20:00

Other: no parking, pets allowed, self-wedding shoots available

These days when I go on a date, we don't really hit Hongdae or Hapjeong for the usual stuff, but sometimes you just want a date that leaves you with something, you know?! So this time we tried a couple photo shoot at Heukbaekgongan self-photo studio in Hongdae/Hapjeong~~ We got to pose ourselves, laugh and chat while taking the pictures, which made it a surprisingly great date course!!

Where is Heukbaekgongan Hapjeong? 336m from Hapjeong Station Exit 3

The Hapjeong branch of Heukbaekgongan is on Eoulmadang-ro 5-gil in Mapo-gu, on the 3rd floor.

It's in a good spot between Hongdae and Hapjeong for a date, so it's pretty convenient to combine with a meal or a café stop.

Inside Heukbaekgongan: waiting room, touch-up room and lounge

Once inside, there was a clean studio and waiting area. The owner was super friendly, showed us around, and let us comfortably touch ourselves up in the pouch room.

It had a bit of a café feel, so while waiting we took photos of ourselves and checked out how other people had posed for theirs.

We took pictures like this while waiting for our turn.

At the end of the entrance hallway there was a kind of pouch room where you could fix your hair and makeup. Easy to comfortably tidy your hair and also check if lunch got stuck in your teeth haha.

It was decorated with cute little props and photos, so the owner clearly has a good eye?

There's also a lounge space where you can rest with water or a drink.

Cinema Blue 2-person self-shoot for 75,000 won in Studio A

We chose the Cinema Blue 2-person self-shoot, ₩75,000. The description was 'a movie-like scene under a blue night sky.'

• 20 min shoot + 15 min select
• 2 selected photos + retouching
• 4 prints (4x6)
• Retouched files provided
• Timelapse shooting available

The shoot happened in Studio A, and once we went in the owner kindly explained the timing and how to shoot.

You can even shoot a timelapse with your phone, and there are various props so you can go with a concept!!

The total shooting time was 20 minutes, so we could take pictures freely without feeling self-conscious, which was so fun hahaha. Every time we hit the shutter the photo popped up on the monitor, and at first it was awkward and our expressions were hilarious, but the more time passed the more fun it got — we totally lost track of time hahaha.

Picking 2 photos in 15 minutes, prints ready in 10

After the shoot, you get 15 minutes to pick your 2 favorite photos. If you feel like 2 isn't enough, apparently you can pay extra to add more?! About 10 minutes after we finished selecting, the owner had the prints ready. It came out faster than expected, very satisfying. The owner also sent the original files by email, so I saved saved saved them to my laptop~~~

Gotta rush home and stick these photos up somewhere. Since it was called Cinema Blue, we matched in sky-blue outfits hahaha.

Verdict: is Heukbaekgongan worth it as a Hongdae and Hapjeong date course?

This visit to Heukbaekgongan self-photo studio in Hongdae/Hapjeong was more satisfying than expected. If you're a couple who wants to do something a little more special than the usual Hongdae date, a self-photo studio seems like a pretty solid choice!! You end up with photos, and the shooting process itself becomes a kind of memory. We went in just thinking we'd snap a few pictures, but once we actually shot and came out, we loved how the photos turned out. If you're planning a date in Hongdae or Hapjeong, give Heukbaekgongan's Cinema Blue 2 a try!!