Shortly after the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese opened a coffee shop (Kissaten) on Jonggok Pass in Myeongdong and began serving coffee.
In Seoul, a two-story salon run by Japanese people called Cheongmokdang appeared, and in 1914, the Joseon Hotel was built.
This served as the highest-class hotel and coffee shop during the Japanese colonial period.
By this time, Western culture had become widespread, and intellectuals who had studied in Japan and the West had established their own cultural sphere, creating ideal conditions for the birth of coffee shops.
Around 1923, modern coffee shops began to appear. The pioneers were the Japanese-run Futami in Myeongdong and Kumgangsan in Chungmuro.
Futami, in particular, was a pioneer of the modern coffee shop, operating as a coffee shop rather than a restaurant.
Later, in 1927, film director Lee Kyung-sun opened a coffee shop called "Kakadu" at the entrance to Gwanghun-dong.
He produced films such as "Chun Hee" and "A Long Cold Dream," and it's said that Lee Kyung-sun himself, dressed in a tuxedo, would personally brew and serve coffee and tea at the coffee shop.
The name of the shop is said to be "Kakadu," a reference to Austrian playwright Arthur Schnitzler's play "The Blue Parrot," which is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution.
While working as a film director in the 1920s, Lee Kyung-sun was also involved in the independence movement, and emigrated to Thailand to escape oppression by the Japanese authorities.
At the time, many Korean independence activists had bases in Thailand, and it is recorded that Lee Kyung-sun joined that community.
In 1929, the Mexican Coffee Shop opened near the Joseon Central YMCA building on Jongno 2-ga. It was owned by actors Kim Yong-gyu and Shim Yong.
The interior design, including the chairs and tables, was a collaboration between painters, photographers, and stage designers, creating a space that evoked a fusion of cultural figures.
With the opening of Nanranpara in Sogong-dong in the 1930s, teahouses transformed from the cultural atmosphere of a small group of enthusiasts into full-fledged establishments that prioritized profitability.
The late poet Yi Sang was also deeply involved in teahouse management, including "Yukku," which he sold after completing interior renovations; "Jebi," which he opened with his wife in Jongno in 1933; "Hak" in Insadong; and "Mok," which he designed himself in 1935 and sold shortly before opening.
Meanwhile, with the opening of Jemi in 1933, teahouses proliferated, attracting film and theater actors, painters, musicians, and writers.
Each with its own unique characteristics, teahouses built a vibrant culture in Jongno, Chungmuro, Myeongdong, and Sogongdong.
Pioneers of teahouse culture include Troika, a Russian-style teahouse in Myeongdong, Elisa, a music appreciation shop, French-style Mimosa, German-style Winn, Figaro, famous for its weekly concerts, and Dolce, a popular spot for welcoming and farewell parties near Seoul Station.
The outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941 caused teahouses to decline, and towards the end of World War II, sugar and coffee imports were cut off, leaving teahouses in a state of devastation.
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