Yongsan Cafe Guide: Dotori Yongsan – A Ghibli-Inspired Cafe on Yongridan-gil

Located between Sinyongsan Station and Samgakji Station, Dotori Cafe Yongsan has become one of Yongridan-gil’s most talked-about spots, drawing visitors with its Studio Ghibli–inspired atmosphere and nostalgic, storybook-like charm.

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Cafe Dotori Yongsan Branch: Basic Information

Photos of beverages and bakery items at Cafe Dotori

Cafe Name	도토리 용산점 (Dotori Yongsan Branch)
Cafe Address	25-6 Hangang-daero 52-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Cafe Business Hours	Open Daily: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Parking	No parking available / Public parking nearby recommended • Samgakji Station Parking Lot (₩1,200 per hour) • Samgakji Station Street Public Parking (₩3,000 per hour) • Samgakji Temporary Public Parking Lot (₩3,000 per hour) • Hangang-ro 2(i)-ga Street Public Parking (₩3,000 per hour) • War Memorial of Korea Outdoor Parking Lot (₩4,000 per hour)
Seating Capacity	1st floor, 2nd floor & terrace: Over 30 indoor seats
Amenities	• Free High-Speed 5G Wi-Fi • Clean Restrooms Separated by Gender • Complimentary Fresh Filtered Water • Takeout available • Delivery available • Family-friendly: Infants and children welcome • Pet-friendly

Dotori Yongsan is a cozy hideaway café filled with strong Studio Ghibli–inspired vibes, the kind of place that feels like a secret base tucked into the city. It operates year-round with no days off, welcoming guests daily from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM, and occupies the entire building—from the first floor to the second floor, plus an open terrace.

The café is genuinely inclusive and relaxed. Infants, children, and even pets are welcome inside, making it an easy choice for families and casual meetups. The menu covers all the essentials you’d expect from a well-rounded café: Greek yogurt, freshly baked goods, brunch plates, specialty coffee, and a variety of drinks. Takeout and delivery are also available, which adds to its everyday convenience.

Getting there is straightforward without a car. Dotori Yongsan is about a five-minute walk from the Yongsan Post Office bus stop (03005) and roughly four minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Samgakji Station, making public transportation the most stress-free option.

There is no on-site parking. If you’re driving, nearby public parking lots are your only option. The cheapest is Samgakji Station Parking Lot at KRW 1,200 per hour, though spaces are limited and often full. For a more reliable choice, the War Memorial of Korea’s large parking lot is the most spacious, albeit pricier at KRW 4,000 per hour.

Cafe Dotori Yongsan Branch: Menu & Prices

Menu	Prices include tax and service charge (KRW)
Greek yogurt	• Real Fig & Pistachio Yogurt Bowl – ₩18,500 • Real Honey Yogurt Bowl – ₩14,500 • Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Bowl – ₩17,500 • Real Blueberry Yogurt Bowl – ₩17,500 • All About Grains Yogurt Bowl – ₩17,500 • Real Strawberry Yogurt Bowl – ₩18,500 • Sweet Persimmon (Hongsi) Yogurt Bowl – ₩18,500 • Cacao Double Double Yogurt Bowl – ₩19,000
Honey Yogurt Ice Cream	• Real Fig & Pistachio Yogurt Ice Cream – ₩18,500 • Real Honey – ₩14,500 • Apple Cinnamon – ₩17,500 • Real Blueberry – ₩17,500 • All About Grains – ₩17,500 • Real Strawberry – ₩18,500 • Persimmon (Hongsi) – ₩18,500 • Cacao Double Double – ₩19,000
Brunch	• Onion Potato Soup – ₩9,500 • Mushroom Potato Soup – ₩10,500 • Sweet Pumpkin Soup – ₩10,500 * Order a plain salted roll with any soup and get ₩1,000 off one plain salted roll. • Shio Brunch – ₩15,500 • Pretzel Brunch – ₩16,000 * Order an Americano with any brunch and get ₩1,000 off one Americano.
Bakery	• Dotori Bread (Chocolate / Matcha & Red Bean / Chestnut / Strawberry / Corn) – ₩6,500 • Madeleine (Earl Grey / Chocolate / Almond / Matcha Pistachio / Lemon / Mango Coconut / Chestnut / Purple Sweet Potato) – ₩4,300 • Basil Pesto Shio Bread – ₩3,500 • Truffle Shio Bread – ₩3,800 • Shio Bread (Blueberry / Cranberry Cheese / Fig Cheese / Sweet Pumpkin Cheese / Garlic) – ₩5,000 • Cream-filled Shio Bread (Milk Cream / Vanilla Cream / Strawberry Cream) – ₩5,800 • Premium Shio Bread (Deep Chocolate / Lemon Pistachio / Coffee Mascarpone / Earl Grey Cream) – ₩6,000 • Savory Shio Bread (Onion Basil Crunch / Egg Mayo) – ₩6,800 • Vanilla Canelé – ₩3,800 • Canelé Variations (Earl Grey Jam / Yuzu / Matcha Custard / Vanilla Ganache / Hazelnut Ganache / Dried Persimmon Cream Cheese) – ₩4,500 • Croque Monsieur – ₩4,800 • Fresh Milk Bread (Shokupan-style) – ₩7,000
Beverages	• Americano — ₩5,500 • Latte — ₩6,000 • Vanilla Latte — ₩6,500 • Tea (Alix / Rendezvous / Byzantine / Juicy de Dole) — ₩8,000 • Yogurt Drinks (Apple Mango / Peach / Strawberry / Peanut Oatmeal / Banana Walnut) — ₩8,500 • Fresh Juices (Avocado Wake Me Up / Inner Green / Kale Pine Day / Vitamin Shower / ABC) — ₩9,500 • Honeycomb Multigrain Latte — ₩9,500 • Honeycomb Black Sesame Latte — ₩9,500

Cafe Dotori Yongsan Branch: Real Customer Reviews

Tucked between Sinyongsan Station and Samgakji Station in Hangangno-dong, Yongsan, the small alleyways along Hangang-daero 50-gil have rapidly risen to prominence after the COVID-19 pandemic. This area is now widely known as “Yongridan-gil.”

The name Yongridan-gil is a modern Korean portmanteau, combining “Yong” from Yongsan and “ridan-gil” from Gyeongridan-gil, the once-iconic neighborhood in Itaewon that defined Seoul’s alleyway culture in the 2010s.

Back in the 1990s, as Apgujeong Rodeo Street gained national fame, cities across Korea began labeling their busiest entertainment districts as “Rodeo Streets.” These areas typically formed near major subway stations and were packed with restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and large commercial buildings—places built for crowds and constant foot traffic.

Since the 2010s, however, the trend has shifted. As older residential neighborhoods like Gyeongridan-gil transformed into stylish hotspots, a new naming convention emerged: “–ridan-gil.” Today, you’ll find variations all over the country—Mangridan-gil in Mapo, Songridan-gil in Songpa, Haeridan-gil in Haeundae, Hwangridan-gil in Gyeongju, and Haengridan-gil in Suwon, to name a few.

The distinction is clear. While “Rodeo Streets” refer to large-scale, high-energy commercial zones, “ridan-gil” neighborhoods are more intimate and character-driven. These are walkable alleyways where renovated old houses host hip cafés, independent boutiques, long-standing local eateries, and bars with real personality.

Yongridan-gil fits perfectly into this newer mold—less about spectacle, more about atmosphere. It’s the kind of place where wandering without a plan is part of the experience, and that’s exactly why travelers and locals alike keep coming back.

Photo of the front exterior of the Cafe Dotori building

If you stroll through Yongridan-gil in Yongsan, Seoul, you’ll come across Cafe Dotori Yongsan, a café that feels as if it were lifted straight out of My Neighbor Totoro. Its whimsical, Ghibli-inspired atmosphere quickly went viral on Instagram, and what started as a local favorite soon turned into a must-visit spot for international travelers exploring Seoul—often more foreigners than locals filling the seats.

The buzz only grew stronger when the café reappeared as the opening location for Episode 6 of tvN’s variety show Sixth Sense: City Tour 2, which aired on December 4, 2025, featuring Yongsan. Since then, Cafe Dotori has firmly established itself as one of Korea’s most recognizable Ghibli-style cafés, widely loved by the MZ generation nationwide.

It’s not just a place to grab coffee—it’s a destination where nostalgia, fantasy, and modern Seoul café culture come together in the most charming way.

Captured images of past Street View of the Cafe Dotori building (Image sources: Naver Maps, Kakao Map)

There has been some talk online suggesting that Cafe Dotori Yongsan is a jeoksan-gaok (적산가옥), but based on verifiable records, that claim is difficult to substantiate.

To clarify, jeoksan-gaok refers to properties left behind by Japanese residents who departed Korea following Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II in 1945. These houses and buildings were transferred through the U.S. military government and later became state-owned assets of Korea. The term literally means “enemy-owned property,” and many such structures still remain in areas like Yongridan-gil and Huam-dong in Yongsan, often repurposed today for cafés, studios, and small-scale commercial leases.

In the case of Cafe Dotori Yongsan, however, there is no clear archival or public documentation confirming that the building is an authentic jeoksan-gaok. A review of Kakao Map and Naver Map street-view history shows that the structure—a red-brick old building—underwent at least one renovation prior to May 2012, followed by a second, more extensive remodeling between October 2021 and April 2022, at which point it was converted into its current café use.

What can be stated with confidence is that the building is a remodeled older structure, not a newly built property. However, without land registry records or historical ownership documents explicitly linking it to Japanese-era residential use, labeling Cafe Dotori Yongsan as a jeoksan-gaok would be speculative rather than factual.

In short, while the café certainly fits the visual and atmospheric profile often associated with former jeoksan-gaok architecture in Yongsan, there is currently no solid evidence to confirm that it is one.

Photo of the bakery display section at Cafe Dotori

We visited on a quiet weekday morning with a light drizzle in the air, and were able to walk straight in without any waiting. Stepping through the front door, you’re immediately met with the slightly dim, atmospheric feel of a renovated old house. To the right, the bakery display comes into view first, drawing you in with neatly arranged breads and pastries. Once you pass the bakery section, you arrive at the ordering counter. Directly across from the counter is the restroom, and beyond it, deeper inside the space, the seating area opens up with tables arranged in a relaxed, tucked-away layout that feels calm and unhurried.

Screenshot from the opening scene of tvN variety show Sixth Sense: City Tour 2, Episode 6 (Yongsan-gu, Seoul), aired December 4, 2025 (Source: YouTube)

If you step out through the rear door on the first floor, you’ll find a small terrace seating area. From here, a staircase leads up to the second floor. The upstairs space at Cafe Dotori Yongsan feels like a cozy attic—intimate, warm, and slightly removed from the bustle below. This is also where tvN’s “Sixth Sense: City Tour 2” was filmed, capturing its opening scene with guest appearances by Davichi members Lee Haeri and Kang Minkyung. Window seats on the second floor are especially popular and were fully occupied during our visit, so we settled at a table near the entrance, which still offered a comfortable and relaxed vantage point.

Photos of the drink menu at Cafe Dotori

There were two of us, and we ordered one iced Alix tea, one iced Americano, a strawberry Dotori bread, a real blueberry shio bread, a matcha pistachio madeleine, and a matcha custard canelé—₩33,800 in total. Orders are placed and paid for at the first-floor counter, where you receive a receipt before heading upstairs. After settling into an empty table on the second floor, we took a few photos and waited at an easy pace. Once everything was ready, a staff member personally brought the tray up to our table. Without us needing to ask, they thoughtfully included cutlery and small plates for two, a small but welcome detail that immediately elevated the overall experience.

🥤 Iced Alix Tea carries a gentle herbal aroma that feels light and restrained. It pairs well with baked goods without overpowering their flavors, making it an easy companion to desserts. That said, some visitors note that its character isn’t especially distinctive for the price, and a few mention they would opt for one of the juices on a return visit.

☕ Iced Americano shows a well-balanced profile between acidity and bitterness. The aroma is clean and defined, yet the body stays light rather than heavy. Given the kind of concept-driven cafés Dotori belongs to, expectations for the coffee were modest—but surprisingly, it was quite enjoyable. It works especially well with Dotori bread or shio bread, cutting through the richness and resetting the palate.

Photos of the bakery menu at Cafe Dotori

🍓 Strawberry Dotori Bread has a soft, tender crumb with strawberry flavor gently infused throughout. Instead of an artificial sweetness, it leans on a subtle fruit aroma, making it an easy, casual pastry to enjoy without feeling weighed down.

🫐 Real Blueberry Shio Bread aims for a balance between the chewy texture of classic shio bread and the bright acidity of blueberries, pairing saltiness with fresh fruit notes. In concept, it should appeal to those who prefer desserts that aren’t overly sweet. Unfortunately, while visually appealing, the bread itself was extremely tough. It was difficult to cut even with a knife, and we ended up tearing it apart by hand.

🥮 Matcha Pistachio Madeleine delivers a mild, smooth matcha aroma rather than an intense bitterness, with pistachio adding a gentle nutty finish. The texture leans more toward clean and light than moist and rich, making it easy to enjoy without heaviness.

🥮 Matcha Custard Canelé features the signature caramelized, firm exterior typical of a proper canelé, with a soft interior filled with matcha custard. The intention seems to be a restrained balance—matcha’s subtle bitterness layered with the custard’s sweetness. Unfortunately, during our visit, the canelé was overly hard, to the point where chewing felt difficult, which took away from the otherwise thoughtful flavor concept.

Now, let me talk about what felt disappointing.

First of all, the overall pricing of the menu is not exactly budget-friendly, yet the taste and quality of the desserts didn’t feel entirely convincing at that price point. Especially when it comes to the bakery items, they look beautiful on display, but once you actually try to eat them, many are difficult to cut and noticeably firm in texture. Personally, I wished they were more moist and tender.

I also wasn’t a fan of the wooden tableware. The side plates at Dotori Yongsan are made of wood, and judging by the deep scratch marks all over them, many customers clearly struggled to cut through the bread. Wooden tableware, due to its porous nature and absorbency, carries a higher risk of bacterial growth and mold, which is why I usually avoid using it even at home.

From a seating perspective, the tables felt a bit low, so my knees and thighs kept bumping into the table frame. The chairs were also slightly unstable and squeaky, making long seating less comfortable. On top of that, the background music inside the café was quite loud, to the point where holding a conversation felt difficult at times.

Some online reviews mention unfriendly service, but fortunately, during our visit, the staff were polite and attentive. I do hope that both service consistency and dessert quality continue to improve over time.

That said, Dotori Yongsan is undeniably a great place for photos. It’s easy to walk away with plenty of Instagram-worthy shots. Since there are no official Ghibli-themed cafés in Korea, a place like this—with strong Studio Ghibli, My Neighbor Totoro vibes—fills a niche that clearly resonates with the MZ generation. At the same time, the warm, vintage atmosphere also appeals to older visitors who enjoy nostalgic spaces, making it a fairly family-friendly café.

If you’re visiting Yongridan-gil and want to capture sentimental, aesthetic photos with your partner or friends to share on Instagram, this café is worth checking out at least once. This review was 100% written by a real person, based on a fully self-paid visit, with no sponsorship involved.

Recommended Menu Picks

For first-time visitors, these menu items are highly recommended:

1. Iced Americano – Well-balanced between acidity and bitterness with a clean finish. Better than expected for a café where coffee isn’t the main attraction, and a good match for rich breads.

2. Strawberry Dotori Bread – Soft-textured bread with a natural strawberry aroma rather than artificial sweetness. Easy to enjoy and visually appealing.

Final Verdict

Dotori Cafe Yongsan delivers strongly on atmosphere and visual storytelling. The Ghibli-inspired setting, especially inside a renovated old house in Yongridan-gil, makes it an excellent spot for photography and Instagram content. However, when it comes to desserts, the pricing feels slightly high relative to taste and texture, with some bakery items being firmer than expected and difficult to cut.

Service during our visit was polite and attentive, which helped balance out some of the physical discomforts such as low tables, unstable chairs, and loud background music. While it may not be a destination café for desserts alone, Dotori Cafe succeeds as an experiential space—particularly appealing to MZ travelers, foreign visitors, and anyone nostalgic for My Neighbor Totoro.

💡 Pro Tip: Visit on a weekday morning or during light rain to avoid waiting, and prioritize window-side or second-floor seating for photos. Come for the ambiance first, order selectively, and treat the desserts as part of the experience rather than the main event.

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