Kohojae Afternoon Tea at Korea House

Korea House is a mainstay of the Myeongdong area, one that we’ve passed by a few times during our years here. They’re most well-known for their higher-end traditional Korean dining experience. Make a reservation here and you’re in for a culinary experience from times gone by. The hanok architecture, traditional tableware, and staff dressed in hanbok really complete the experience.

The last time we visited was when we were still dating. And my future father-in-law invited us to a family friend’s wedding. And then hinted that Korea House would be a great location for a wedding. Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink.

While our wedding didn’t take place at Korea House, we were still impressed with the classic hanok architecture and traditional vibes the entire experience had. This eventually led to us being invited for another event, this time a traditional afternoon tea.

What is Kohoje?

The Kohojae experience at Korea House is one we’ve heard about from several friends, but due to limited seating, we’ve never had the chance to attend. Roughly translated, ‘kohojae’ means a dwelling with a fondness for old things. The tea ceremony starts with a short traditional dance performance in the tea hall. A single dancer dressed in a classical performance hanbok performed a solo piece before we were served our traditional tea sets. The performance was excellent, but the tea set was the real show-stopper.

Each set is served on a small individual table (hojokban) for each person to enjoy. When we went, we were served rice cake, sweet rice puffs, and multiple treats each with their own distinct flavor. These sets are prepared according to the season to take full advantage of the flavors and fresh ingredients that are available.

It’s important to remember that these sets are meant to be enjoyed slowly over a conversation… or while you tradeoff taking photos. The tea served was a delicious green tangerine tea from Jeju that I’ve never had before. We sipped on them slowly while we watched the rain outside, just like the royals would have done a hundred years ago.

By the time we were finished, we felt refreshed and ready to take on another day of exploring Seoul. Which is, I suppose, the whole point of afternoon tea.

Where is Korea House?

Address:
- 서울 중구 퇴계로36길 10 한국의집 (Naver Map)
- 10 Toegye-ro 36-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul (Google Maps)

Located just 10 minutes away from Myeongdong Station in the Jung-gu area, Korea House is a cultural center dedicated to promoting traditional Korean culture and customs. They host traditional Korean meals, tea ceremonies, and it’s even available for weddings.