Cozy Log Cabin Cafe Hidden in a Korean Forest

A Log Cabin Cafe Hidden in the Forest, Right Outside a Korean Nature Reserve

We were only going to see the autumn leaves. A forest cafe was never part of the plan.

In early November 2025, my wife and I drove out to Jangtaesan Natural Recreation Forest in Daejeon, a large city about two hours south of Seoul. I knew how popular this spot gets in autumn, and sure enough, when we arrived around 9 AM, the parking lot was already packed. Luckily, there was a dedicated parking lot right at the entrance for a cafe called Coffee Interview, so we pulled in there. My thinking was simple — they let us park, so the least we could do was buy a coffee. But the moment I stepped out of the car and looked up at the building, I could tell this wasn't the kind of place you just grab a quick coffee and leave.

A building made of whole logs, a pointed triangular roof, an arched entrance. Behind it all, dense mountains and a metasequoia forest streaked with red autumn leaves wrapped around the entire structure. For a second, I genuinely couldn't tell if I was in Korea or at some mountain lodge in Europe. It's only a 30-minute drive from central Daejeon, but the moment you arrive, even the air feels different.

My wife grew up in a country where it's summer all year round. She's been in Korea for three years now, but she comes from a place where autumn foliage simply doesn't exist. So every time fall rolls around in Korea, she stares out the window a little longer. She was the one who suggested we go to Jangtaesan. "If we're going, let's go while it's still pretty," she said.

Every photo in this post was taken by me on that day.

Coffee Interview Exterior — A Lodge Completed by the Forest

Here's the cafe exterior. Honestly, if you took this building and dropped it somewhere else, it might not fully pass as a European mountain lodge. What really makes this cozy log cabin cafe feel like one is the forest behind it. The dense mountains and trees pressing in from behind wrap around the building, merging nature and architecture into one seamless scene. The boulders in the front yard, the small trees, the deck peeking out from the side — everything feels buried in the forest, like the cafe itself has become part of the landscape. If this building were in the middle of a city, it'd just be a pretty cafe. But with Jangtaesan as its backdrop, it becomes something completely different.

Since it was early November, the leaves hadn't fully fallen yet. Green, yellow, and red were all mixed together, and when those colors met the log cabin walls, it looked like a painting. I suddenly understood why the parking lot had been so full.

When you walk closer, the arched entrance is more impressive than you'd expect. A 'COFFEE INTERVIEW' sign hangs above log pillars, and the inside of the arch is finished in dark natural wood. To the right, you can see the parking lot and the mountains in one view. The sky was clear that day, so this angle came out especially well.

From the side, the building is bigger than you'd think. Log walls run along with lattice windows in a row, and there's a wide deck out front where you can also drink your coffee. See the person coming out of the door there? One step through that door and you're basically in the forest. The fact that there's zero boundary between the cafe and the woods is this place's biggest charm.

I tilted my camera up and shot the arch from below. The curves, the log pillars, the gold sign above. Against the sky, it looked genuinely striking. It's these little details that make the difference between "just a pretty cafe" and "a cafe with real atmosphere."

Inside — Warm Spaces with High Ceilings and Natural Wood

After getting that European lodge vibe from the outside, walking in was a different experience. The ceiling follows the triangular roofline and soars upward, so there's zero sense of being cramped, and arched doorways are cut into the walls throughout. The whole space is done in brown natural wood tones, but unlike the exotic impression from outside, the inside hits you first with warmth and comfort. It's like European charm blended with an Eastern coziness. There's good variety in seating too — regular tables, bar-style counters, and floor seating areas, so you just pick whatever suits your mood.

Since it was early morning, there were only two or three other groups inside. The sound of coffee being brewed filled the space, and it felt like the coffee aroma had soaked into the wood itself. My wife stopped the moment she walked in and looked straight up at the ceiling — I think she was surprised first by the height, then by the hanging lights. Thanks to the quiet, we could take our time choosing seats and snap photos comfortably.

Floor Seating Area — Kick Off Your Shoes and Relax

This is the floor seating area, and honestly, it was my favorite spot. Round cushions are laid out on a wooden floor with low tables — you take off your shoes and step up, and it instantly feels like you're hanging out at someone's home. There are arched openings on the side that connect naturally to other spaces, so even though it's floor seating, it never feels closed off. Highly recommend this spot if you're visiting with family or a group.

I couldn't skip the regular table seating either. Dark oval tables surrounded by chairs with red cushions — the color combination goes perfectly with the wooden interior. These seats are right by the window, so when you sit down, the view outside flows in naturally. It felt like early November Jangtaesan was framed right inside the window.

Here's the floor seating from a different angle. This side is right next to the door leading out to the deck, so sunlight pours in. Sitting here in the afternoon, soaking up the sun with a coffee in hand — that would be pure healing. We went in the morning so we missed that window. Next time, I'm planning to come in the afternoon on purpose.

Ceiling Lights — The Detail That Completes the Space

Look up at the ceiling. Large round lights hang in a row, and they're the key element that completes this forest cafe's interior atmosphere. Suspended between the wooden beams, they make the space feel even more expansive, and the light spreads softly, warming up the entire tone of the room.

Up close, each light is made of two or three overlapping spheres, and the material looks like hanji — traditional Korean handmade paper. Behind them you can see round windows and lanterns mounted on the walls. Every seat has a slightly different lighting style, so the vibe changes a little depending on where you sit. This is where you can tell the owners really put their heart into the interior design.

Outdoor Terrace — Coffee with the Forest Right in Front of You

The inside is great, but if the weather's nice, try sitting outside. The terrace has metal tables and chairs, and just past the railing, the trees are right there. The forest is so close that when you're sitting down, you can hear the leaves rustling in the breeze. Drinking coffee inside versus out here is a completely different experience. It's the same latte, but the air is different, so somehow the taste feels different too.

There's also outdoor seating along the side of the building. Pastel-colored chairs are set up right against the log cabin wall, and there's a slight roof overhang so you can sit in the shade even on a bright sunny day. Even if the indoor seating is full, there are sometimes seats available here, so don't just walk past them.

Lower Deck — A Hidden Spot Surrounded by Forest

This is the lower deck seen from above. Three parasols are spread open over tables arranged on a wooden deck, and the whole area is completely surrounded by trees. You can drink your coffee literally wrapped in forest, but I bet a lot of people don't even know these seats exist and just leave without checking. Definitely go down and take a look.

Dessert Showcase — A Counter That's Fun to Browse

After grabbing a seat, I went to the counter and couldn't move past the refrigerated showcase. On the top shelf sat a mugwort gateau chocolat — a rich, deep green exterior with a layer of yellow cream, its cross-section instantly catching your eye. The middle shelf had chocolate terrine and Basque cheesecake lined up side by side, and the bottom shelf was stocked with cold-pressed juices arranged by color, so even non-coffee drinkers have options. Standing in front of this showcase, picking just one is not easy.

Next to the showcase is a baked goods display. Salt bread at about $3 and chestnut salt bread at about $4.50 sit side by side, and next to them, dark chocolate chip cookies at about $3.50, apple crumble cookies at about $3.25, and matcha white macadamia cookies at about $3.50 are arranged on plates. Further back, you can also spot financiers and madeleines. The cookies are all impressively chunky and large — one with a coffee looked like it would be more than enough.

Here's a close-up of the palmier (about $3.75) and salt bread (about $3). The palmier is a puff pastry coated in chocolate, and it's a pretty generous size. The salt bread is round and plump with visible salt crystals sprinkled on top. There were more varieties than I expected, so if you're into baked goods, you'll have fun choosing.

What We Ordered — Citrus Love Tea, Cafe Latte, and Salt Bread

After deliberating for a while, here's what we ended up with. I got a tea called Citrus Love, my wife got a cafe latte, and we shared one salt bread. The Citrus Love comes in a glass teapot with dried flower petals and herbs unfurling in the water as the color slowly releases. An empty glass comes on the side so you pour it yourself.

While waiting at our seats after ordering, I looked out the window. Trees in mixed greens and reds filled the glass from edge to edge. My wife stared out the window and was quiet for a long time. For someone who grew up in a country where autumn foliage doesn't exist, I think the very concept of leaves changing color is still a magical thing, even after three years in Korea. Every time fall comes, she just looks outside a little longer. I chuckled to myself remembering when she first saw autumn leaves after coming to Korea and asked, "Are the leaves sick?"

Citrus Love — A Tea That Lifts Your Mood Just by Looking at It

Orange flower petals and green herbs float inside the pot, and it's the kind of visual that brightens your mood on sight. There's a subtle fragrance rising from it too. Every time you lift the lid, citrus scent spreads through the air — it's on a completely different level from tea bags.

Here's the full spread from above. The Citrus Love pot, cafe latte, and salt bread all together on a tray. If you're at a cafe as a couple and can't decide what to order, just go with a combo like this — one tea, one coffee, one bread. This set worked out really well for us.

Cafe Latte and Salt Bread

This is the cafe latte my wife ordered. It had a heart drawn in latte art, and the foam was so smooth we just stared at it for a while before drinking. After her first sip, she said it was really smooth. The milk ratio is on the higher side, so there's barely any bitterness — even someone who doesn't usually drink coffee could enjoy this without any issue.

Here's the salt bread. The outside is baked to a glossy finish with salt crystals just barely visible on top. It's about the size of your palm, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Eating it alongside the latte, the saltiness and the creaminess alternated with each bite, and I just kept reaching for more. We kind of regretted only ordering one to share. Next time, we're each getting our own.

I shot the latte from another angle. With the light hitting it, the foam texture showed up even more clearly. I'd seen a lot of reviews saying this cafe is known for its coffee, and after trying the latte, I totally get why.

A Walk Through the Forest, and One Last Look at the Cafe

After finishing our coffee, we headed out for a walk through the forest. That was the whole reason we came here, after all.

We walked along the metasequoia forest path. It was early November, so the leaves were in the middle of transitioning from green to red, and that mix of colors was actually more beautiful than a single uniform shade. My wife kept looking up as we walked. Sunlight filtered down between the towering trees, and I wondered what it must feel like to see these colors when you've spent your whole life only knowing green. I laughed to myself remembering when she first saw autumn foliage in Korea and asked, "Are the leaves hurt?"

On the way back to the parking lot after our walk, I looked at the cafe one more time. The sun had shifted since the morning, so the building had a completely different feel. There were a lot more people now too. As we got in the car, the words "let's come back in summer" just naturally came out. The fact that those words came out at all — I guess that says how much this place stayed with us.

Why This Forest Cafe Is Perfect for a Day Trip from Daejeon

Honestly, I didn't go looking for this cafe. I found it because of the parking lot, and I walked in out of gratitude to buy a coffee — but in the end, the thing I remember most from that entire day wasn't the hike or the autumn leaves. It was the time I spent sitting inside this cozy log cabin cafe.

If you're looking for a nature cafe near Daejeon, if you're planning a day trip to the Jangtaesan area, or if you want to show someone from an eternally summer country what Korean autumn looks like — give this place a visit. It's great to stop by before your forest walk, and equally great to rest your tired legs with a cup afterward. I've been to a lot of atmospheric cafes around Daejeon, but ones where you can actually sit right next to nature like this are rare. This one lets you do exactly that.

Next time, we're coming in summer. Surrounded by the deep greens of Jangtaesan, sitting in the same spot, ordering the same latte. But this time, we're getting two salt breads.

Coffee Interview Jangtaesan — Basic Info

This post was originally published on https://hi-jsb.blog.