Siljaegye is a place where sunlight streaming through the windows softly illuminates the space during the day, while only the table lamps softly light up at night. Centered around solid wood furniture, the books and paintings placed throughout the space evoke a sense of solitude and loneliness, yet from these shared elements, a comfortable atmosphere for contemplation unfolds. Co-CEOs Lim Young-hoon and Kim Ji-eun opened Siljaegye with the hope that it would provide a small respite by creating a crack in the inertia of daily life. Fittingly, it is introduced as an appreciation space where exhibitions are held periodically. Taking themes such as "solitude" and "love"—things seen, heard, and felt in life—as subjects, the aim is to offer visitors small hints and inspiration for living. Papers are placed on one side of the tables so that anyone can become a participant in the exhibition. One can glimpse the thoughts of others by answering questions about the themes, drawing, or writing haiku. The menu at Siljaegye was created under the concept of the "Layer Project." The first project, "Steppenwolf," was inspired by Hermann Hesse's novel, *Steppenwolf*. The menu consists of cocktails for those lost in the abyss. While it primarily features cocktails from the comic book *The Bartender*, the signature drink is undoubtedly "Existentialism," which they developed themselves. Inspired by records indicating that ancient existentialist philosophers enjoyed apricot cocktails, they created this drink by blending homemade apricot syrup with sparkling water in a base spirit. Their second project, "Delphine & Musil," functions as a small, fun element by offering seasonal variations. It features menu items perfect for enjoying at night, such as pork and seaweed soup ramen, Park Jae-seo Andong Soju, and Song Myeong-seop Makgeolli. Another characteristic of the "Real World," which seems rooted in philosophy, is that it was curated according to the stream of consciousness of the two individuals. Many of the solid wood furniture pieces, including a square table designed to evoke a small plaza, were crafted spontaneously with the help of their longtime friend, carpenter Bae Su-yong. This spontaneity stemmed from the duo's conviction that "results created through a joyful and sincere process are bound to win the affection of people." Sitting at the irregularly arranged tables and viewing the books and paintings personally handpicked by the two, one can encounter the streams of thought and small fragments missed in daily life. Reality is a space that serves as an appreciation room and a hideout where those living busy lives can linger with a relaxed mind.

A project unique to the Real World, layered with new colors according to the two CEOs' changing tastes over time.

Type Coffee Shop

4th Floor, 175 Gyeongsanggamyeong-gil, Jung-gu , Daegu

Tel 0507-1385-1945

Opening Hours Mon-Wed 13:00-21:00, Thu-Sat 13:00-00:30, Closed on Sundays

Edit Jihyun Cho

Photograph Youngmin Bae