Songjeong ocean-view café with chamomile elixir: Suwolgyeonghwa, Busan

On a day when my friends and I headed out to Songjeong for some fresh air after too long away. After lunch we went looking for a café with good vibes, and on a friend's recommendation we ended up at Suwolgyeonghwa. She'd already been a few times and kept saying I had to see the trains passing by and feel the atmosphere for myself.

Where is Suwolgyeonghwa, and what are the parking and hours?

Suwolgyeonghwa is on the 4th floor of 188 Songjeong-jungang-ro 6beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan. Parking is free in the building's 1st-floor piloti lot, and if that's full you can use the Kakao parking lot across the street or nearby lots for a fee.

• Location: 188 Songjeong-jungang-ro 6beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan, 4th floor
• Parking: Free in the building's 1st-floor piloti lot. If full, use the Kakao parking lot across the street or nearby paid lots.
• Hours: 11:00 – 23:00
• Last order: 22:30

Outside and inside Suwolgyeonghwa: the mirror above the stairs and a moon on the water

Facing the building, turn right and head up the stairs — that's where the entrance to Suwolgyeonghwa is.

Push past the curtain and climb the stairs, and you're met with a mirror and, opposite it, a moving video of the sea with sound — capturing exactly what the name Suwolgyeonghwa means: the moon reflected in water, a flower reflected in a mirror.

The 3rd-floor floor seating at Suwolgyeonghwa: quiet hanok mood

On the 3rd floor, through the door beside the mirror, there's seating with a hanok (traditional Korean house) feel and a calm atmosphere. It felt like the kind of place where you almost have to watch how loudly you talk, haha — if you like a quiet mood, the 3rd floor is the place to sit.

The little decor pieces give off an old-fashioned mood that almost feels luxurious.

Seating is split into floor and regular seating on either side, with a big table by the center window in between — I'm not sure if they run tea classes there, but the seat was empty. If there is a tea class, I'd love to try it sometime. Even the short quotes scattered around seemed to tug at something, so I found myself reading each one.

We like quiet spots, so we sat in the very back corner of the 3rd-floor floor seating. Maybe because we'd eaten lunch early, there was only one other group on the 3rd floor besides us, so we got to enjoy a relaxed, almost-private café experience :)

The 4th floor: ordering, pickup and the window-wall ocean view

The 4th floor is where you order and pick up your drinks, and you can also buy their own blended teas there. It's all floor-to-ceiling windows, so the ocean view gives a real sense of ease — the atmosphere is brighter than the 3rd floor, making it a nice spot for comfortable conversation.

To the left of the entrance they sell their own blended teas, which makes it an even better spot for anyone who loves tea!!

When I went to order, the blended teas were all introduced up front, which made it easier to pick something.

What's on the menu at Suwolgyeonghwa?

• Premium Tea Collection
• Tarakcha (milk tea)
• Traditional teas
• Coffee
• Dalbodre Box (dessert box)
• Individual desserts

Alongside their own blended teas you won't find elsewhere, they use fresh, high-quality tea leaves sourced directly from top domestic tea farms, plus various tea-based drinks. There's also a lineup of Korean traditional drinks and desserts with their own local charm.

What to order at Suwolgyeonghwa, and how much it costs

• Hojigabae — ₩8,000
• Chamomile Elixir — ₩8,500
• Dalbodre Box — ₩13,000
• Matcha Ice Monaka — ₩7,500 (friend's recommendation!!)

Verdict on the drinks: hojigabae, chamomile elixir and the Dalbodre box

On my friend's recommendation I ordered the hojigabae, which is a latte topped with hoji cream — but as someone who loves coffee, I wished the coffee flavor came through a bit more. I did get to appreciate the smooth hoji cream more deeply though. My friend's chamomile elixir came with the steeped leaves placed on top, and we were told to smell it before drinking — sure enough, the chamomile scent felt calming. For the Dalbodre Box, we were told to start with the injeolmi (sweet rice cake) piece first, and following the order made it fun to eat.

Sitting by the window at Suwolgyeonghwa, drinking tea while looking out at the wide sea and the colorful beach train, felt like something you can't get anywhere else — this is definitely a place I'd want to stop by whenever I'm in Songjeong. Suwolgyeonghwa also has a night-only menu with different drinks and desserts from the daytime, so visiting at night would probably feel like a whole different mood.