My Seoul Forest Experience

Hello! Have you ever been to Seoul Forest? Although it feels more like a park than a forest, I scoffed at the name 'Seoul Forest' before visiting, but I was surprised by the surprisingly comfortable and healing space it created. I have fond memories of it, thinking, 'I can actually relax in the middle of Seoul.'

The place I'm going to introduce this time is a cafe called Green Lab!!

First, let me tell you about the location and how to get there.

It is located at 18-11, Seoul Forest 2-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, and is about 596m from exit 5 of Suin-Bundang Seoul Forest Station. It's a 9-minute walk from Ttukseom Station and Seoul Forest Station!

Parking is difficult, so please use the Seongdong-gu Citizen's Sports Center parking lot or nearby public parking lots.

It's regularly closed every Monday and Tuesday, and open from 12:00 to 19:00 on other days.

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This place is a three-story building, and each floor has a different purpose.

0.5F | Flower, plant, and ritual shop

2F | Tea, meditation, yoga, tea cocktail

3F | Rooftop tea room

It's structured like this.

The 0.5F is a ritual shop, so you can find various objects, plants like flowers, diffusers, and room sprays, and purchase the items you want.

You don't have to wait if you make a reservation, but you can also enter without a reservation on a weekday when it's not busy. Instead of ordering a drink and using the space, the system here is that you choose a program and then choose your drink within that program. The programs are 'Enjoy Seoul Forest in Your Own Way', 'Whisper and Enjoy', 'Winter Tea Time' enjoyed on the rooftop (it seems like the name changes slightly depending on the season), and 'Enjoy Seoul Forest for a Long Time'.

Let me explain each one in detail!

Enjoy Seoul Forest in Your Own Way

This program allows you to spend time focusing solely on yourself while overlooking Seoul Forest.

It's a time to turn off the noise of the world and listen to your own story instead. You can quietly spend time alone, overlooking the forest, without talking or taking photos with sound. Before going up to the 2nd-floor studio, please confirm your reservation at the 0.5F (ritual shop) and get a basket for your ritual. It includes a seasonal drink, a small bouquet of flowers, a book (rental), and stationery. After use, please return the basket to the counter on the 0.5F.

There are three time slots per day, and each program lasts for 90 minutes.

You can use it between 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM / 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM / 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM. Each time slot has a capacity of 8 seats.

The drinks may vary depending on the time, but please refer to the picture.

Whisper and Enjoy

This program is designed for a cozy time spent whispering and enjoying while overlooking Seoul Forest, and up to 12 people can choose it.

It's a time to reduce the noise of the world and quietly listen to our own stories and those of others. Please keep conversation to a minimum. As explained earlier, you need to confirm your reservation at the ritual shop first and get a basket.

The program lasts for 60 minutes and can be used as a walk-in without a reservation. You can add time and components on-site.

• Program Composition: Choose 1 ritual basket + warm water bottle, stationery and letter paper, wish tag, book

and you can choose one basket per person in the menu selection section.

The ritual baskets are

1. Musing Ritual: Building with matches, skill embroidery, origami

2. Inner Story Ritual: Bringing out your inner story with emotion cards

3. Tea Ritual: Brewing tea with a tea set

You can choose one of these.

Let's explain each basket!

1. Musing Ritual

The 'Musing Ritual' basket contains tools that help clear your mind.

They say that in daily life, where it's difficult to escape the cycle of thoughts, they aim to help you empty your head by engaging in repetitive hand movements.

2. Inner Story Ritual

The 'Inner Story Ritual' basket includes emotion cards and a list of questions to reflect on your own or each other's emotions.

3. Tea Ritual

The 'Tea Ritual' basket includes teaware to brew your own tea.

All baskets include a warm water bottle, seasonal tea, stationery and letter paper, a wish tag, and a book.

[Rooftop Tea Room] Winter Tea Time

This program allows you to enjoy the peaceful nature of Seoul Forest up close, feeling the winter forest scenery, wind, and birdsong in the private tea room on the Green Lab rooftop. We've prepared a comfortable tea setting where you can take a break with tea.

They say that they serve tea that best suits the weather that day, along with sweets that enhance the aroma and taste.

They explain the tea and how to enjoy it in the tea room.

The session lasts for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

They say that three types of tea and three types of sweets suitable for the cold weather are provided.

They give you a piece of paper with this sentence on it:

“Enjoy your own time in the rooftop tea room overlooking Seoul Forest.

We serve tea that best suits the season and weather, along with sweets that enhance the aroma and taste.

Soo Mi Baek Cha: Clear and sweet aroma. Mild sweetness

Susun: Tea leaves that grow on the cliffs of Luishan, the heavy scent of flowers blooming in the crevices of rocks

Tieguanyin: The taste is as heavy and serious as iron, and the shape of the tea leaves is as beautiful as Guan Yin Bodhisattva.”

It says that. The basic sentence is the same, but they explain the three types of tea that come out depending on the time.

Enjoy Seoul Forest for a Long Time

Only up to two people are allowed, and it costs 40,000 won per person.

This is a program where you can fully focus on yourself while overlooking Seoul Forest and enjoy Seoul Forest for a long time. If you want to give yourself a restful day! Try Enjoy Seoul Forest for a Long Time. Enjoy Seoul Forest for a Long Time can be used from 1:00 PM to 6:30 PM (a total of 5 hours and 30 minutes), and it operates on a weekday reservation system limited to 2 people per day. You can enter and exit freely after checking in.

Let me tell you about the things to confirm when making a reservation!

*First, you need to turn off the sound to consider others. Stop all phone sounds, camera noise, and conversations with friends you've brought along. The purpose is to listen to your inner voice and the sounds of nature while you're here.

*Pets are not allowed, and children under middle school age are not allowed as it is a space for quiet time.

*You cannot bring other food, but you can bring flowers, paper, shoe bags, and drinks.

*Please put the books, pens, and glass pen holders you used in the basket and return them to the counter.

*Your reservation may be canceled if you are more than 10 minutes late, and no-shows may result in restrictions on future use.

*If you engage in any behavior that may disturb other guests or take excessive photos, you may be asked to leave without a refund.

*Commercial filming without prior consultation is not allowed.

The phone number is 02-499-5833. Feel free to call if you have any questions.

On Instagram, Green Lab is introduced as a small resting place in the forest. If you have any more questions, please refer to their Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/greenlab_seoulforest/