The Seoul National University (SNU) Student Center (Building 63) is known as the go-to location on campus. If one is looking for a notebook, or a new phone, or even a haircut, one can visit the Student Center and expect to come out with precisely what you need. The Student Center is also the location of student clubs have their own rooms where fraternization and relaxation occurs. Cuddled in between these rooms is Moonwha Incubator (Culture Incubator), a café that is entirely organized and managed by students.

Moonwha Incubator officially opened in the year 2000. Since then it has not been registered in the Student Club Association to demonstrate that it wishes to remain completely independent, run by and for students without any restrictions. The incubator is an apparatus that provides an environment for the care and growth of small babies. This was the reason why the founders of the café chose their name, in order to make it a location where the seeds of university culture could be planted and eventually nourish.

Moonhwa Incubator

Upon entering the café, the first thing one notices is the home-like environment. It is a small café with no more than a few tables and a couple of benches, an environment that starkly contrasts with the large and spacious locations provided by famous franchise cafés. The café space strives to provide a communal spirit among students, a quality that contrasts to the commercial and anonymous cafes you find in Seoul. This small space offers a coziness that is inspiring. Students are often seen working on essays for class, or simply daydreaming, inhaling the warm steam from an environment that is inspiring and tranquil at the same time.

On a plus note, such inspiration comes at a low cost. Moonwha Incubator offers a variety of drinks and side dishes at low costs. The most expensive side dish is the large sized honey bread which costs only 3,500 KRW. In addition there are no drinks that cost over 2,500 KRW. One rarely finds such low prices outside of campus, with drinks costing at least 2,500 KRW. In order to reduce waste, Moonwha Incubator does not give drinks in disposable cups. Thus, one must bring one’s own tumbler to have a drink on the go.

Moonhwa Incubator

Eun Hur (College of Business Administration) expressed her appreciation for the café."Initially I didn't know there was such a place in the Student Center but I recently got to visit the café. It's a place where you can have a quiet rest, unlike the other wildly loud cafés in our school."

Located on the fourth floor of the Student Center, the café is open on weekdays from 12 PM to 6 PM during the regular semesters, and from 12 PM to 5 PM in both summer and winter semesters.

Written by OH Jung Eun, SNU English Editor, josefinaoh@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr