Our Building.
It was last winter, and we were looking for a new place for our tearoom. We were visiting every location on the list, and nothing was giving us the right feeling. The process was long and a little disheartening.
On another day of location searching, we were walking down the street when Songna asked if I wanted to stop for coffee. I turned my head and noticed a cute coffee shop tucked to the side.
Ascending Coffee Waves. ©Jason.
We walked in and ordered our drinks. The cafe was filled with millions of cute objects and posters, all perfectly laid out. Everywhere I looked, the design felt coherent and intentional, full of personality.
The Cuteness! ©Jason.
As we sat there, I started asking the owner questions and ended up venting a little about how hard it had been to find a new space. She was kind enough to listen, answer some questions, and even offered us a small pep talk.
©Jason.
A couple of days later, we found out that a new space had just been listed in the very same building. That’s how we found the new place for us.
This is the building where our tea room is located on the second floor. ©Jason.
Right below our tea room is a vintage object shop. From cute T-shirts to cups and LP albums, their collection is beautiful. The shop is run by good friends of the coffee house next door.
The vintage shop, “Ascending Corner Waves”, giving us the Wave. Heesum Tea Room is on the second floor through the same entrance. ©Jason.
LPs, vintage Carhartt’s, T-shirts, and more. ©Jason.
The vibe. ©Jason.
And just next door is the same coffee shop where we had that conversation last winter. Their coffee is on point. The space is cozy, comfortable, fresh, fun, and cute.
The coffee shop, “Ascending Coffee Waves”, giving us the Wave. ©Jason.
The couple who runs the place. ©Jason.
Baked in-house. ©Jason.
We’re grateful to be surrounded by kind people. We’re grateful we get to pursue what we love and share that joy with others.
And of course, our Tea Master Songa sending us love from the second floor, where the Heesum Tea Room is. ©Jason.
It’s been a long monsoon, and the sun finally came out today. I felt grateful.
Or maybe I’m just trying to notice the small things I can feel grateful for, so I can hold onto that mindset a little longer.
A little stream next to the building adds a touch of nature. ©Jason.
So if you are visiting us, you’re not just visiting us. You are visiting a building full of kind people.
“This is beautiful! I’d like to see the building full of kind people when I’m in Seoul.”
Jason.
Jason has done too many different things over the years and no longer knows how to sum himself up. He’s worked as a journalist, spent time writing for a Fortune 10 tech company, and has been a painter and photographer along the way. Now he runs Heesum, a traditional Korean tea room in Seoul, where he co-hosts tea sessions with certified tea master Songna. Together, they offer a hands-on experience of Korean tea culture, focused on care, calm, and cultural depth.
