Gwangju hanok café for a three-generation family outing: Hoyang Horim

Today I visited a café called Hoyang Horim in Yangnim-dong. Yangnim-dong has Penguin Village and lots of charming artwork tucked into its alleys, so it's a perfect spot for a walk or a date.

Hoyang Horim location, opening hours and parking

Hoyang Horim is on the 1st floor at 4 Uwolsun-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju, and it's open daily from 11:00 to 21:00. Hours may vary by day, including regular closures, so please check before visiting!

• Christian Hospital lots 1 & 2 - Available: weekends and holidays, weekdays after 17:00 / Rate: 1 hour free, then ₩400 per 15 minutes
• Gwangju Yangnim Church lot - Available: weekdays only, excluding weekends / Rate: 1 hour free, then ₩500 per 10 minutes
• Yangnim Historic Culture Village public lot - Available: 24 hours / Rate: 1 hour free, then ₩300 per 10 minutes

I saw on Naver that I could park at Gwangju Yangnim Church, so I went there.

Turns out the partnership had ended, so parking wasn't covered there anymore. It wasn't a big amount, thankfully, but good to know in advance. Given how hard parking is in the Yangnim-dong alleys, I'd still recommend parking there.

Hanok exterior, interior and outdoor yard seating

Hoyang Horim had a striking hanok (traditional Korean house) structure on the outside.

It was hot and sunny that day, so we sat inside where the air conditioning was on.

There were also atmospheric outdoor seats facing the yard, and I thought that on a cool, pleasant autumn day I'd love to sit outside and soak up the distinct hanok mood. Pets are allowed too, so it'd be a great spot for anyone with a dog or cat.

Seating includes both floor seating and standard tables, so you can pick whichever suits you.

Under the slogan "turning tradition into the everyday," all their traditional desserts are handmade!

What we ordered at Hoyang Horim and prices

Once we settled in, we ordered their signature dessert, the mugwort injeolmi (rice cake) waffle (9,500 won), along with gaeseongjuak apple cinnamon (2,800 won), a café latte (5,000 won), and a black sesame cream latte (6,000 won).

What does the apple cinnamon gaeseongjuak taste like?

This was my first time trying gaeseongjuak (a traditional fried rice cake), a dessert with a texture and flavor like a glutinous rice donut topped with something sweet — an unusual but interesting taste. It wasn't too sweet or too chewy, so it was easy to enjoy without feeling heavy.

Mugwort injeolmi waffle: good even if you're unsure about mugwort?

Mugwort is honestly a love-it-or-hate-it flavor. But even for someone my age, the subtle mugwort aroma blended nicely with the sweetness, and I really enjoyed it. It's a dessert people of any age would like.

Hand-drip coffee from beans roasted in-house

The drinks really stood out too. My parents used to say they didn't really understand coffee, but after trying the café latte and cream latte, they said it was clearly better than the instant Maxim coffee they drink at home.

I'm pretty sensitive to coffee aromas myself, and maybe because they roast their own fresh beans in-house and brew them by hand drip, the coffee smelled wonderfully nutty and rich. The coffee base was so good that both the black sesame cream latte and the café latte were very satisfying.

A three-generation café outing with grandparents and parents

I visited with my grandparents and parents, and they enjoyed everything so much that I ended up just sitting back and watching. It felt good to bring them somewhere nice.

At the tray return station, there were cute stickers you could take, so I grabbed a few. If you want to spend some relaxed time in a space where tradition and modernity blend naturally, be sure to visit Hoyang Horim, a café-bakery in Yangnim-dong, Gwangju!