Just when every coffee place in whole wide world was beginning to look like an identikit Williamsburg hipster joint, along comes something very different.
YND239-20 is a quirky cafe that’s delighting visitors to Seoul, South Korea, thanks to its super cute cartoon decor.
Stepping into YND239-20 feels like entering the black-and-white world of a cartoon. It’s a cleverly conceived real-world optical illusion that’s made the cafe a must-visit for decor-loving Instagrammers.
Real world optical illusion
The cafe’s interior is painted white, with every object or detail outlined in black to give the space an intriguing pen-and-paper look. The real-world furniture blends seamlessly into the wall art, which includes zany picture frames and a dog looking in from a window.
Marketing manager JS Lee tells CNN Travel that the cafe’s name comes from the Seoul address: Yeon-Nam-Dong 239-20. Its main aim, Lee says, is to provide a memorable experience for guests.
“It’s been successful because our customers all take pictures,” Lee says. “We became famous very naturally.”
Insta-obsession
The cafe’s name comes from it’s address Yeon-Nam-Dong 239-20 – Courtesy YND239-20
The popularity of spots such as the Museum of Ice Cream — which caused a splash when it began dominating Manhattanite social media feeds in 2016 — illustrates the phenomenon in action.
More cynical critics would argue these places risk becoming all aesthetic and no substance, but visitors to YND239-20 are keen to stress it’s earned its place on the social media bucket list.
It helps that the owners have created a welcoming environment.
@hannahinternational, pictured, says the cafe has a welcoming atmosphere. – Courtesy @hannahinternational
Instagram user @hannahinternational says the owner of the cafe was incredibly accommodating. “She was really sweet,” she tells CNN Travel.
Meanwhile fellow Instagrammer @mmarichell spotlights the coffee, adding it was “very sweet but also very dark.”
Not heading to South Korea any time soon? YND239-20 might be heading to you.
Lee says the success of the cafe has prompted the owners to consider starting a franchise and taking the concept beyond Korea is on, um, the drawing board.