Welcome to The Travel Breakdown everyone! If you're confused on the concept (what the heck is The Travel Breakdown, is this a new channel, etc) please read this post! I explained the whole concept behind the new series to clarify for everyone what this is! Now that we've got that away, on to my experience visiting Cat's Attic in Gangnam, Seoul, Korea...

Let's get to the travel breakdown....

What in the world is a Cat Cafe?!
Oh, my friends, let me introduce you to the wonderful world of cat cafes. They're magnificent, trust me ;) Cat cafes are literally what they sound like. They're cafes you can go to where you can not only enjoy a lovely drink but also socialize with adorable felines. These are super popular in Korea because having a pet is somewhat impractical in Korea. While that's not to say people don't have pets in Korea, just think about it... why own a cat when you can just to a cat cafe, play with one for a couple hours, and then leave? In Korea, most people live in apartments and don't have the space or time to care for an animal. This is honestly why I think they're so popular. Plus, these type of places are awesome for photo-opts. 

Where We Went
In Seoul, there are several different chains of cat cafes. The particular one we went to is called Cat's Attic. They have several different locations, but the one went to is in Gangnam. Please refer to the map below to see exactly where and you can also go to their official website (or do some Googling) to find other chains and locations! 

But are the cats taken care of? 
The cat cafe we went to seemed very cat friendly. Luckily, the cats had plenty of room to roam and lots of hidden places up and away from people just in case they felt a little overwhelmed. The cats all seemed pretty relaxed with the people and each other, which was pretty evident in all the sleeping kitties. I also noticed that whenever the workers walked around to brush or give the cats treats, they all perked up and seemed to really like the employees. The cats had fresh water and food available at all times and also an adjacent room with a litter box, which was only accessible through a little kitty door. I figured if they were really irritated, the cats could choose to go hang out in that room. 

Rules to make sure the kitties aren't mistreated!

Is it clean? 
One concern I had in general was the cleanliness. Overall, the place was well-maintained and I couldn't really smell the litter box (if you own kitties like I do, you're very familiar with that smell!). Before going, I was a little concerned as to how hygienic it could be to combine drinks and cats, but you just have to watch your drink to make sure no kitties help themselves to a couple sips. I mean, let's face it, you're really going to play with cats, not to enjoy drinks! haha. Also, before you enter, you have to wear slippers they provide and sanitize your hands. I really appreciate that because it shows they make an effort to keep the facility clean and their cats healthy!

Tips and tricks 
Visit more than one
If you're a cat fanatic like I am and you're staying for a while in Seoul, definitely check out more than one cat cafe. I went to about 4 (I know, I'm insane) during my couple weeks in Korea and each one was completely different. So if you have a bad experience at one and you're desperate to find a cat cafe you enjoy, try different ones!
Don't wear black!
You're gonna get furry when you're playing with cats. That's pretty much a no brainer. So try not to wear black because it obviously shows hair a lot more! I do want to note that most cat cafes have lint rollers/hand sanitizer/hand wipes available, so you can freshen up before you leave. I just figure it's always better safe than sorry!
Go on a weekday
These places get packed! I had the best luck going during the week instead of during the afternoon. That way, you can get the most out of your kitty time :D 

So if you do end up going to a cat cafe, I hope you have lots of fun.. and no allergies :) They're a really cool place to visit so definitely check and see if there are some in your area or if there are some where you're planning on traveling too! Cheers :) 

xoxo, 
Morgan

Follow Morgan: My Experience at the Hello Kitty Café in Seoul, Korea! 헬로키티 카페 왔습니다

Helloooo there! So I’ve decided to make posts about my trip last summer to Seoul, Korea because I know there are some of you who enjoy reading about my experiences and looking at the pictures versus watching a video about it! Today’s post is going to be about my trip to the Hello Kitty Café! 

If you do want to check out the video though, here it is! I also have other videos on my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, that I haven't made posts on yet. So if you want to see more travel vlogs and Korean beauty and fashion videos, definitely subscribe! It would make me so happy :) 

The one we went to is located in Hongdae. Now let me tell you, it was quite the excursion trying to find this place! We ended up walking into a couple stores and asking for directions! Haha. It’s a little hidden, but not impossible to find, you just have to know where to look.

I was so excited we finally found it! This place is a great place to take a ton of pictures of course!

I took this map from the Official Website!

Anyways, you walk in and straight away, you see all the cute Hello Kitty themed desserts and drinks. They have a wide range of cakes, drinks, cookies and more! Seriously, this stuff is too cute to eat! Just see for yourself!

What you see when you walk in the front door.

Some of their drinks! You can see they had a 40th anniversary drink out when I was there. 

Look at those cakes! Aren't they so cool!? 

All kinds of goodies! 

I ended up ordering a peach tea drink though because I wasn't in the mood for dessert or something sweet. However, my drink ended up being SUPER sweet anyways so I guess this is not the best place to come if you're not craving sugar.

Seriously....diabetes in a cup. 

The sugar is getting to me...

If you're looking for souvenirs to take home with you, you've definitely come to the right place! They had a whole wall of Hello Kitty merchandise... everything from tea sets to trinkets to plushie toys!

Now get this, even the bathroom is Hello Kitty themed! I didn't take a picture of the bathroom but I took a picture of the sign pointing to the bathroom. I never knew a toilet could be so cute! 

 You'll also notice there is writing all over the walls. I assume it's ok to do this since there was literally writing everywhere! haha. I left my own little personal message... if you find it, please take a picture and send it to me! I want to see :D

I wish I'd brought a darker marker! All I had was a blue pen. haha. 

Should be easier to find since I wrote right next to that sticker! haha.

This is definitely a place I'd try to visit if you ever come to Seoul and love Hello Kitty like I do. I love that Seoul has all kinds of themed cafes and something for everyone! Hope you guys enjoy these travel posts! More to come :)