BLUA
블루아
BLUA is a quiet Yeongnangho cafe where the owner turned her own Sokcho life into the menu: hand-drip coffee, gentle brunch, and a warm Haenyeo story rather than a loud beach-cafe concept. Haenyeo are Korea's women sea divers, and here the theme is not decorative only. The owner actually learned to enter the water, gathers local inspiration from the East Sea, and turns that admiration into blue cream drinks, sea-salt waffles, buckwheat noodles, and slow brunch plates. Come here when you want a calm lane near Yeongnangho, not a fast turnover cafe.
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Interviewed by HeySeorak on 📖 Owner story included
Best For
Slow mornings, breaks, and relaxed afternoons
Area
Yeongnangho
Price
₩₩ Mid-range
Reviewed by HeySeorak Editorial · Updated
Info
582-8 Yeongnang-dong, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
강원특별자치도 속초시 영랑동 582-8
Public listings and social posts can vary by season; check Naver Place or Instagram before a late visit.
The Story
Before Sokcho, the owner spent years in Seoul, first planning for an outdoor brand and later working around legal and corporate documents. A stay connected to the Rene Blue Hotel event near Songjiho changed the direction of her life. She came to Cheonjin and Goseong for what was meant to be a one-month stay in October 2020, extended it for several more months, and realized that the East Sea felt beautiful enough that she did not need to keep dreaming of Jeju. In 2021 she found a small shop near Yeongnangho, did the putty work and painting herself for three to four months, and opened BLUA in May.
“I want to keep doing the things I love whilst maintaining a good work-life balance.”
— Owner, BLUA
What They Stand For
BLUA is built around work-life balance, not expansion for its own sake. The owner wanted to keep doing what she liked while protecting a slower life, so she began without heavy investment and still runs the cafe in a way that leaves room for other work: early-morning salad delivery, parasol picnic rentals, and longer-stay lodging. That is why the cafe feels relaxed rather than pressured. It is not trying to be the busiest place in Sokcho; it is trying to stay alive in a form the owner can keep loving.
Behind the Signature
The Haenyeo theme came from respect. When the owner first saw local Haenyeo gathering like a circle of mermaids, she was moved by the clarity and pride of women still entering the water in their seventies and eighties. She later learned to go into the sea herself and has gathered things like scallops from the water. In the menu, Haenyeo becomes sweet-salty blue cream, vanilla soda, gamtae waffles, buckwheat noodles, and brunch plates that feel healthy without losing playfulness.
Local Tip
The location matters as much as the menu. BLUA sits in a small Yeongnangho-side lane with a calmer rhythm than the beach streets, and public parking nearby makes it easy to fold into a lake walk. It is especially good for visitors who want Sokcho's sea, lake, and small-neighborhood mood in one stop.
Seasonal Note
Fresh fruit, salad delivery, brunch components, and Haenyeo-themed specials can change with sourcing and the owner's schedule. Treat the menu page as a guide and confirm the board when you arrive.
For Travelers
The owner has traveled and worked around foreign guests, but BLUA is not a place built around long scripted English service. Simple ordering and payment are fine, and the cafe naturally respects each person's quiet time. Keep the English menu open, point to the Haenyeo drinks or brunch you want, and enjoy the slower mood.
Start with these dishes
The best first order for understanding what makes this place worth visiting.
Haenyeo Cream Cafe au Lait
해녀 크림 카페오레
BLUA's sweet-salty signature: hand-drip cafe au lait with sea-salt blue cream and a gentle hazelnut note. The name keeps Haenyeo, the Korean women sea-diver tradition, as the center of the drink.
Haenyeo Soban
해녀 소반
A Korean brunch tray inspired by Haenyeo food culture, with seafood, greens, small rice or grain elements, and hand-drip Americano in the set version.
Haenyeo Cream Soda
해녀 크림 소다
Blue-curacao soda with basil, cherry, vanilla ice cream, and a diver-at-sea mood. Sweet, fizzy, creamy, and intentionally playful.
How to order here
A simple flow for first-time visitors who want to order confidently.
Step 1
Order one signature first
If it is your first visit, start with Haenyeo Cream Cafe au Lait. It is the easiest way to understand what this place is known for.
Step 2
Add a second dish for balance
Haenyeo Soban usually rounds out the meal well, especially if your table wants both a safe choice and something more local.
Step 3
Use the menu as a script
Open the English menu and point to the exact item names if ordering feels awkward.
More from the menu
View full English menu →Americano
아메리카노
Hand-drip coffee from BLUA's house blend, showing citrus and berry brightness with caramel and nutty sweetness.
Lavender Latte
라벤더 라떼
Lavender syrup and milk. Add an espresso shot if you want it to lean coffee-like.
Helpful guides
Practical reads to help you make the most of your visit.
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