Cat Cafes in South Korea

Suncheon, Jeollanam Do

Healing Bada is a rescue cat cafe in Jogok-dong, Suncheon, about three minutes on foot from Suncheon Station; drivers can use the free public car park opposite the Suncheon Companion Animal Culture Center. All of its cats are rescued former strays and abandoned cats, now very affectionate, from kittens to adults, and visiting helps support them. The cafe and the cat room are completely separate, so visitors can take a break from the cats. The cat room is cleaned, disinfected and ventilated daily. Cat room tickets cover two hours on weekdays and 90 minutes at weekends and on public holidays, with a shorter 30-minute ticket, and coffee and other drinks are ordered separately. Walk-ins are welcome, and private hire can be arranged. It is closed on Mondays.

Suncheon, Jeollanam Do

Byeoldabang Yaongi is a cat cafe on the second floor above the Adidas store on the Yeonhyang-dong fashion street, Suncheon's main shopping district. It moved here from Sindae in 2023. The owner introduces each cat and its breed to visitors and shows how to give treats and how to make friends with the cats, which makes it suitable for children and for people who have never handled a cat. The cats are very gentle, and even timid children usually manage to stroke them by the end of a visit. It opens at 11 AM at weekends and closes at 8 PM; weekday hours are best checked on the cafe's Instagram.

Suncheon, Jeollanam Do

Nyangjipsa is a cat cafe in Haeng-dong, Suncheon, near the Uiryowon Rotary bus stop; from the stop, walk into the alley by the Mon-Wed-Fri Korean medicine clinic, and the cafe is on the third floor of the building with a duck restaurant, opposite a dakgalbi restaurant. It describes itself as a playground with cute cats for visitors of all ages, where people can bond with the cats. A single entry ticket applies to everyone aged 24 months and over. Visitors recommend it as an indoor outing for families with children. It opens at noon at weekends and 1 PM on weekdays, closes at 7:30 PM, and is closed on Mondays.

Suncheon, Jeollanam Do

Goyangi Jeongwone Sanda, meaning 'cats live in the garden', is a cat cafe with an outdoor garden by the Dongcheon stream in Jangcheon-dong, Suncheon, at the entrance to the riverside car park between the gifted education centre and Seongdong Bridge. Most of the cats were given up by previous owners, and the owner built their outdoor playground over about two years together with a carpenter. The cafe runs on a hybrid staffed and self-service model: when no staff are present, visitors phone before entering, then pay at the kiosk on the left by headcount. Entry includes a coffee or other drink and a churu treat, with different rates for children, secondary school students and adults, and there is no time limit. Couples, families and groups can hire the whole space in the evenings with a day's notice.

Seogwipo, Jeju

Jeju Cat World is a large outdoor and indoor cat sanctuary cafe in Namwon-eup, Seogwipo, on the south-east side of Jeju. It began in 2022 when the owners started caring for a few street cats, and it has grown into a forested site of about 2,500 pyeong where around 120 cats move freely between indoor rooms and the woods. Many of the cats were rescued from difficult situations, including cats facing euthanasia, street cats and cats with disabilities that struggled to find homes. Visitors pay an entry fee and can buy coffee and other drinks at the cafe, then walk among the cats in the forest or relax indoors. From Jeju Airport, bus 131 runs to the Namwon terminus, about 450 metres away.

Jeju

The Pets Cafe is a cat cafe on the second floor of a building on 1100-ro in Nohyeong-dong, Jeju City, near Halla Arboretum, between Halla Butcher's Restaurant and Gyulhyanggi; it is a short drive from Jeju Airport. About 50 cats live in a spacious room, and the cafe is run by a couple with academic backgrounds in animal behaviour and in animal-assisted therapy, who manage the cats closely. To keep the space calm and safe, children must be at least eight years old, and visitors aged 8 to 13 must come with a guardian. The entry fee is charged per person, and coffee and drinks are available. It opens from 1 PM to 7 PM, with last entry at 6 PM, and is closed on Tuesdays.

Jeju

Mirdam is a cafe in Yongdam 2-dong, Jeju City, three to five minutes by car from Jeju Airport, where rescued street cats live alongside customers. It is tucked away behind the Jenis Villa car park at 1-4 Yonghwa-ro, and the owners recommend Naver Map or Kakao Navi for directions. About ten cats live at the cafe; they were rescued from the street and treated, and some are placed in adoptive homes, with part of the cafe's income going to their care. Each visitor aged 36 months and over must order a drink, or pay a small entry fee instead, and this also applies in the courtyard. Outside treats for the cats, outside food and birthday cakes are not allowed. The cafe serves coffee and handmade desserts, has about eight parking spaces, and is open every day from 9 AM to 11 PM.

• Adoptable cats