4F - a Secret Cafe in Euljiro
Written by Becky
Photos by 정순호
The trend of transforming unfriendly concrete spaces into cafes is taken to a new level at 4F.
If you're not looking, you'll never find it. This cafe is hidden among Bangsan Market, tucked away in the smallest alley. The building used to be a printing press, and they still have the original machinery on the first floor. There are three floors of concrete, minimal interior, sparsely decorated, hip and clean cut.
I am endlessly amazed at the human ability to turn an unfriendly place into a home. Among the waves of factory workers carrying stacks of wood, dragging concrete blocks and heavy, dusty bags, 4F solemnly keeps its place as a clean oasis. Except that rather than coming for water, come for the coffee.
In the last few years, Seoul’s trendy spots drifted away from glitzy Apgujeong and foreign-catering Itaewon to revive the factory-filled alleys of Euljiro.
Here, you used to only see rows of tiny shops filled from floor to ceiling with doorknobs of every shape imaginable, light fixtures, metal rods, rusting car pieces, and glass cutting machines…. just everything. Among the uneven, winding alleys roamed the aging men who ran such places, their hands rough and familiar with the tools of their trades.
Now Euljiro is being infiltrated by young couples seeking the secretive cafes and restaurants that hid somewhere amongst the dilapidated market.
Part of the excitement is finding these parlors of Friday night fun in the most unexpected places, like on the fourth floor of an abandoned printing factory.
If you do manage to wend your way through the noisy, factory-filled alleys of Bansan Market and land at the front step of 4F, take your time to explore all floors.
