The Korea Herald

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[Well-curated] Unique interior decor, aviation museum and silent cafe

By Lee Jung-youn, Choi Si-young, Park Ga-young

Published : March 8, 2024 - 09:01

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Unique interior decorations are on display at Segment. (Lee Jung-youn/The Korea Herald) Unique interior decorations are on display at Segment. (Lee Jung-youn/The Korea Herald)

Decorate your space with colorful, unique props

If you have recently moved into a new place, you may be looking for unique trinkets and small decorations to brighten up your space.

Segment, a company that sells interior-related products from around the world, has opened an offline showroom. The two-story building, which is about a 10-minute walk from Naebang Station on Subway Line No. 7, is full of colorful interior decoration items from more than 100 domestic and foreign brands.

On the building's first floor, where the subtle scent of soap and incense sticks welcomes visitors, there is a wide range of products on display, from kitchenware like bowls and mugs to decorative goods like glass vases, candlesticks and stationery. The inner wall of the showroom is covered with charming fabric ornaments in the shape of various animals.

Visitors can see how the items look in a designated on the second floor where small sofas, posters of various sizes, lamps and fluffy rugs are arranged and displayed.

The showroom owner noted that visitors can rent the outdoor space connected to the second floor and hold small parties or gatherings.

Segment's showroom is open every day from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A participant copilots a plane next to a veteran pilot during a flight simulator program at the National Aviation Museum of Korea. (Choi Si-young/The Korea Herald) A participant copilots a plane next to a veteran pilot during a flight simulator program at the National Aviation Museum of Korea. (Choi Si-young/The Korea Herald)
An exhibition on aviation at the National Aviation Museum of Korea. (Choi Si-young/The Korea Herald) An exhibition on aviation at the National Aviation Museum of Korea. (Choi Si-young/The Korea Herald)

Taking to the skies

Located in a three-story oval building that could be mistaken for a stadium in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, next to Gimpo International Airport, the National Aviation Museum of Korea has been drawing a constant stream of visitors.

“The building is pretty noticeable. I came here to see what it’s all about,” said Rho Kwang-hyun, a resident of the neighborhood. Rho said he wanted to check out Black Eagles, a simulated combat aircraft flying program aided by virtual reality goggles.

“I’d give it a solid 4 out of 5,” Rho, 55, said of his first three-minute try on the simulation, which rotates 360 degrees, pausing briefly in an upside-down position.

Another popular simulation program at the museum is the cockpit zone, where participants can copilot a plane next to a former pilot. The flight instruments and the positions of switches come from a Boeing 747-400, which retired last year.

Participants can venture into the air traffic control tower area, where they get to learn about what their guide, a former air traffic controller, used to do.

The two veterans give participants a 20-minute rundown before the 60-minute simulation experience in the cockpit and the air traffic control tower.

Reservations must be made online for the cockpit zone program at aviation.or.kr, and a fee will be charged. The Black Eagles program only takes walk-ins and also charges a fee.

Outside of these specific experience zones, access to the rest of the aviation museum is free.

There is an observatory atop the museum, which overlooks the Gimpo International Airport runways nearby and is a “hidden gem,” according to one visitor.

The address is Haneul-gil 177, Gangseo-gu, Seoul.

Cafe Chimmook (Park Ga-young/The Korea Heherld) Cafe Chimmook (Park Ga-young/The Korea Heherld)
Cafe Chimmook (Park Ga-young/The Korea Herald) Cafe Chimmook (Park Ga-young/The Korea Herald)

Cafe where silence is guaranteed

At Cafe Chimmook, patrons must remain quiet and conversations are prohibited. In the absence of chatter, classical music playing on a high-quality sound system fills the space, along with the gentle aroma of the coffee.

"Chimmook" means silence in Korean.

The space is perfect for those struggling to find a quiet cafe to concentrate without the disruption of conversations, even amid the abundance of cafes on every corner.

The cafe, which opened earlier this year near Ahyeon Station on Subway Line 2, is run by a classical music enthusiast who wanted to create a place where people can focus on reading with music in the background.

“I love cafes. I especially enjoy quietly reading a book with a cup of coffee in a cafe. If the coffee is delicious and the music is good, there's nothing more to ask for. However, there's one issue. Depending on the neighboring customers, the cafe can either be a paradise or a nightmare that day,” the founder explains in the menu,

The menu outlines a set of rules, which to some may sound like paradise. “You are not allowed to chat, or even whisper, except when ordering or paying. Mobile phones should be kept in silent mode. When using a digital device, refrain from using the keyboard, mouse, or stylus in a manner that would disturb other customers. Don’t take photos of other customers.”

If you want to know more about the music that is playing, the CD of the music being

played is on display on the audio system.

A two-hour stay at the cafe costs 10,000 won. The price includes a beverage such as hand-drip coffee, tea or even whiskey at an extra cost. An additional beverage order extends the stay by an hour.

Cafe Chimmook is open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday.

The address is 3, Sinchon-ro 31an-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.