Konkuk Univ. Station café: mango cake & spiral stairs at Café Ohkam

What is Café Ohkam (OKLM) near Konkuk Univ. Station like?

I visited Café Ohkam (카페 오캄, OKLM) while hunting for a nice dessert café near Konkuk Univ. Station. There are plenty of cafés around Konkuk Univ., but I wanted one that pairs good desserts with a cozy, atmospheric space where you can stay a while.

OKLM comes from the French phrase "Au calme," meaning calmly, peacefully, quietly. True to the name, it has a relaxed feel that lets you take a breather from the busy city.

Getting to Café Ohkam and parking

Café Ohkam is about a 3-minute walk from Exit 2 of Konkuk Univ. Station, so it's easy to reach. You only walk a little way in from the busy street, which makes it easy to find and a good spot for meeting friends or a date. There's no private parking, so public transport is the convenient way to go.

Red-brick exterior and an entrance with cat notices

With its red-brick exterior and big glass windows, Café Ohkam feels warm and atmospheric even before you step inside. The brick building and wide glass work together for a look that's both cozy and stylish, and the wooden signboard and green plants at the entrance add a natural touch.

The vintage architecture mixed with a modern sensibility felt like a special place to relax in the middle of the city. Along the outer staircase, an orange "OKLM" sign sits like an accent piece and adds to the stylish mood.

Around the entrance there are posters of the signature mango bingsu and images of the café's mood, which build up the anticipation before you go in.

The cute cat notice and photos show off OKLM's warm personality. Even a small note considerate of cats shows the owner's thoughtful, kind heart, and it made me smile right at the door. The entrance, decorated with all sorts of cat photos and stickers, felt charming and homey, and with the plants and little props, I felt relaxed from the moment I walked in.

Café Ohkam's first-floor seating and counter

The first floor of Café Ohkam stands out for its warm sunlight and atmosphere. The square tables for 2 to 4 people beside the windows are great for enjoying natural light and the view outside. On the inner wall there are cozier round tables, two-seaters near the cat photo board and green plant objects, nice for spending quiet time in a mood-filled corner.

In the middle of the first floor is a beige tembo-board counter with wood slat details, and behind it the espresso machine and drink-making area are neatly organized. You can watch professional baristas prepare drinks, which gives the place that lively café energy. The interior felt modern yet warm.

What desserts are in Café Ohkam's showcase?

The showcase next to the counter at Café Ohkam holds cakes, sandwiches and fresh fruit, plus a range of baked goods including financiers (small almond butter cakes), all nice with coffee. The neatly arranged display left an impression, and with so many cakes and baked sweets it was a joy just to look.

Café Ohkam's biggest charm is that every dessert is handmade in the shop. From cakes to financiers and egg tarts, each one is carefully prepared, with the specialness you'd expect from a dessert café.

Café Ohkam dessert menu

Alongside the signature whole-mango bingsu (shaved ice), the menu has a kaymak baguette set, classic French toast and more, desserts that satisfy in both looks and taste. The financiers come in several kinds, such as salty choco, original and Delos crumble, so you can pick to your taste, and the handmade cookies with cute cat faces were another Ohkam touch. The tempting looks of the desserts add to the excitement of the visit.

Café Ohkam drink menu

The drink lineup is varied too. There's a basic Americano, special coffees like the signature brûlée einspänner and Delos crumble latte, refreshing drinks such as basil tomato ade, plum ade and lemonade, plus teas and non-coffee options, so there's something for every taste.

Can you charge your phone at Café Ohkam?

At one end of the counter there's a multi-charging stand with various types of charging cables, a thoughtful touch for guests. There are also multi-charging stands near the seats, so you can easily charge your smartphone or other devices, and it was a nice small gesture that lets people who stay long relax without worrying about battery.

Fresh fruit and ingredients are neatly arranged, giving a clean impression, and being able to naturally see how the desserts are prepared adds to the trust.

How do Café Ohkam's mango cake and iced Americano taste?

What I ordered at Café Ohkam was the mango cake and an iced Americano. I ordered at the first-floor counter and then headed up to the second floor to relax. Haha.

The mango cake was generously topped with fresh mango and looked delicious. The soft whipped cream and moist cake sponge went well together, and the sweet, tangy mango flavor filled my mouth. The cream wasn't overly sweet, so the true mango flavor came through even better, and as a handmade dessert, the balance of ingredients and delicate taste were satisfying.

The iced Americano I ordered with it was clean and smooth, and paired well with the dessert. It cut the sweetness of the cake, so I could enjoy it fresh to the very end.

Café Ohkam's photo spot: the white spiral staircase

A space you can't skip at Café Ohkam is the spiral staircase. White walls and warm wooden steps work together, and natural light from the round window adds a stylish mood. With its soft curves and the photo decorations around it, it's less a passage than a photo spot you want to take pictures in.

Sunlit second-floor seating at Café Ohkam

The second floor of Café Ohkam is bright and pleasant, with natural light pouring through huge glass windows. The alley view outside and warm sunshine make it feel snug, and with the exposed concrete floor, white walls, wooden furniture and warm lighting, it has a vintage yet modern mood.

The window seats are great for sipping coffee in the sun, and on one side there are comfy sofa seats, vintage leather chairs and two-seaters, so it's easy to stay a long time. The spacing between tables is generous, so it suits dates, get-togethers with friends or time alone. Wooden blinds, soft lighting, cute objects and diffusers show the owner's stylish touch in the small details everywhere.

Café Ohkam's resort-style rooftop

The last charm of Café Ohkam is the rooftop. The moment you step up, the big straw-like raffia parasols, cream-colored benches and wooden props make you feel as if you're at a holiday resort.

Vintage metal trolley carts and accent-colored chairs are placed around, so there are lots of good photo spots. On a clear day you can enjoy coffee and desserts under open blue sky and a cool breeze, a worthy healing spot in the city.

Café Ohkam overall: who is it for?

Café Ohkam (OKLM) is a Konkuk Univ. dessert café with a different charm on every level, from the exterior to the first floor, second floor and rooftop. The warm first impression of red brick, the first floor full of handmade desserts, the sunlit window space upstairs and the resort-style rooftop, there's not one you'd want to miss.

I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a quiet, relaxed time with good cake and coffee, or who is looking for a photogenic café, a date spot or a place for a special meet-up with a friend. As the name says, it was a café where I could heal in a calm, quiet atmosphere.