Korea sleepless population in Seoul has set up quite the market for Cafés and coffee shops and with the thousands of shops in the city it is no surprise that many have become quite unique to stand out. This includes Hello Kitty themed cafés as well as an underground comic café.

Long hours at the office, tiny apartments and high stress levels are so characteristic of life in Seoul that the city’s motto might as well be “Abandon sleep, all ye who enter here.” So it’s not surprising that Seoul residents keep thousands of coffee shops in business. The cafes allow tired masses to meet in a space that’s neither home nor work, taking time out from busy schedules to see friends and relax. While faceless chains are plentiful, a number of quirky theme cafes have sprung up, satisfying both the need for caffeine and the Korean passion for anything trendy, cute or both. Charming, whimsical and sometimes downright bizarre, these places embody a peculiarly Korean sensibility.

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