I love Harry Potter, so when I found out that the world of wizards had come to Seoul in the form of a theme cafe, I was there quicker than you can say Quidditch. The cafe named Kings Cross is located in the trendy and cool neighbourhood of Hongdae. We arrived at the cafe at 11:30am on a Tuesday when it opened to find a huge line. Clearly this place is very popular right now, especially with the clothing store SPAO bringing out its own range of Harry Potter themed clothing. Primark did this back in the UK which is where I picked up my beloved Hogwarts satchel and Slytherin sweatshirt. Lots of those waiting in line were decked out in their Harry Potter themed finest, so feel free to dress up, it will add a little something to your pictures.
While we were waiting in line for 30 minutes to get inside, we made good use of the two photo spots outside. So if you are passing by and don’t have time to go inside you can still get a great shot for your Instagram. The main spot to take photos is the famous luggage trolly that goes through the magical platform 9 3/4 wall. This is a really great place to get a picture, just make sure you a friend who is willing to take photo after photo while you jump around like a crazy person trying to get the perfect one. The second photo zone is located just by the entrance which is a faux door to a Diagon Alley style pub or tavern.
Once inside you will be asked to purchase your tea or coffee. They also have soft drinks available and a large variety of cakes. Once you have ordered you can then go and play while they make your drink. On the main floor there are two more photo spots. A set of stairs with a book shelf behind piled up with wands. I loved this one as it was just like being at Ollivander’s, just remember that the wand chooses the wizard! They also have a separate room with the Mirror of Erised. In this room you can also wear your favourite house’s robe and scarf while riding a broom or casting a spell with the wand. As this spot is so popular you are asked to only take three minutes per person. The lighting is also quite poor, so try and take some practice shots of others while you are waiting in line to figure out which angles work best.
The main seating for the cafe is located on the second and third floors. The second floor hosts lots of tables hidden in nooks and crannies, akin to the Gryffindor Common Room. While the third floor is more like the Great Hall which is where we ended up sitting to eat. I ordered the Ice Vanilla Latte (6,500) and a Pretzel (3,500) as I was so hungry. The ice vanilla latte was pretty good and was quite reasonably priced considering they could get away with charging more. The pretzel is not made in house and probably frozen but it was a tasty and filled with cream cheese. My Hufflepuff companion Lizzy ordered the Hazelnut Latte (6,500) and the Carrot Cake (6,000). All of their cakes come bought in from another bakery. Personally I thought it could so with being a bit sweeter but there was a good frosting to cake ratio. According to all the signage there is also a Hogs Head themed pub inside too, although no one seems sure if it has actually opened yet. Once I get confirmation I shall plan another trip to check it out.
After we enjoyed our baked goods and and coffees we explored more and did a few more rounds of photos. Overall we had a great morning and really enjoyed the space. If you like Harry Potter then I am sure you will love this spot. The price of admission is the cost of a drink so its a great way to unleash your inner wizard while hanging out in Hongdae.
Kings Cross is located at 21 Yanghwa-ro 16-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. To get take a train to Hongdae Station (line 2) and come out of exit 9. Walk straight and take the second road on the left. Walk straight down this street and yu will see Kings Cross at the intersection. There are currently no social media accounts for Kings Cross so I can’t give you any more info to link to, if I find some I will update the post. The cafe is open from 11:30 am 9:30 pm n weekdays, and 9:30am – 10pm on weekends. The pub is open from 6:30pm – 5am.