The story
The owner has spent ten years in coffee, beginning with a dessert cafe in Seoul. In the summer of 2023 they closed it and moved to Sokcho, where the couple now run Hoho Aunt together. Saemaeul drew them in with its neighborly, unhurried alleys and the sea a few minutes away. Only after opening did they learn the neighborhood's past: it was first built for families the 1968 storm surge left homeless. Back then there were hardly any cafes on these lanes. Finding their feet took more than a year, harder than Seoul had been. Rather than chase dessert trends, they rebuilt the shop around coffee, and regulars slowly followed, some of them from the Seoul days.
“Sip the espresso, sip the delight!”
Owner, Hoho Aunt
What they stand for
Hoho Aunt is an espresso bar first. Five beans, decaf included, sit behind the counter, from nutty, heavy-bodied blends to bright specialty coffees with fruit and floral notes, and the owner would rather you choose one that suits your taste than settle for a default cup. For now the beans come through someone they know in the trade; the couple plan to start roasting their own within a year or two. The cafe's own introduction signs off in Italian: Piccolo, ma speciale. Small, but special.
Behind the signature
Hoho Latte was created for the Sokcho opening, starting from a picture the owner had in mind: rich espresso running down over a layer of cream. Getting there took about a year of trial and error with grind size, dose and how dark the roast should be, until the sweetness, the vanilla aroma and the coffee finally sat in balance. It is the drink the owner is proudest of and the one customers praise most. Salt Cream Coffee takes the other road, Dutch-style cold brew under homemade cream with a pinch of salt: sweet first, then salty, then clean.
Local tip
From Sokcho Express Bus Terminal, walk about 500 m along the main road toward Daepo Port; the first-floor bar is at 3940 Donghae-daero, roughly ten minutes away. Inside, skip the usual latte for once: order a signature and let the staff point you to a bean. The cafe also invites you to slow down with a straight espresso, served in a small cup and best taken sip by sip. Whole beans and 12 g drip bags are for sale if you want to bring the coffee home.
Seasonal note
Granita, a Sicilian-style frozen coffee made from the house cold brew, comes in small batches and can sell out. Hoho Latte, Salt Cream Coffee, Granita, Strawberry Milk Latte and Lemon Ade are iced only. Now and then the cafe closes for a few days to pour at a Sokcho festival booth or for a short break, and posts it on Naver beforehand, so check before a special trip.
For travelers
Many international travelers find Hoho Aunt through its Google reviews, and plenty come back. Some stop in every day of their trip, a few both morning and afternoon. One Australian visitor came four or five days in a row, flew home, and returned a month later with 500 g of Australian coffee beans as a gift. Lately the owner has noticed a shift: guests who used to order a plain hot latte now ask for the signatures.
