We didn't have any real plans for the day after Chuseok this year. 🍂 My wife and I just wanted to take the kids somewhere relaxed and let the day unfold on its own. That turned out to be exactly what happened, just not in the order we expected.
A Snack Stop We Didn't Plan For
Our first stop was supposed to be Gyeongchunmaru Cafe, a train-themed cafe near our place. But on the way there, my younger son Jiyul started complaining that he was hungry. 😅 We looked around for somewhere to grab a quick meal, but nothing seemed like a good fit nearby.
In the end, we stopped by a mart to pick up some snacks, then walked across the street to a cafe called Compass, where we sat down for a bit and had something to drink ☕ while the kids ate their snacks. It wasn't part of the plan at all, but that's pretty much how it goes when you're out with kids. You learn to just roll with whatever comes up.
Once everyone had calmed down and had a bite to eat, we finally headed to our original destination.
Stepping Into an Old Train Station 🚂
Gyeongchunmaru Cafe sits right on top of an old, unused railway from the former Gyeongchun rail line. The whole place is designed to look like an old train station, and honestly, just walking along the tracks to get there already felt like the start of a little trip.
My daughter Harul walked ahead of everyone, striking a peace sign ✌️ for the camera at one point, while Jiyul was busy looking at the tall grass growing along the path. We took an elevator up to the cafe entrance, and while we were waiting, someone rode up on a bike, which the kids thought was pretty interesting to watch.
We took a photo in front of the "Gyeongchunmaru" sign before heading inside. ✨ The interior is done up to really look like the inside of a train car, with red seats, soft lighting, and big windows looking out over the Jungnangcheon stream. For a few minutes, it genuinely felt like we were somewhere far from home. Even the outside of the train structure was detailed and well put together, and the kids kept looking around at everything.
From a Train Cafe to a Kids Cafe 🎈
After spending some time at Gyeongchunmaru, we headed to Champion Kids Cafe, which is inside what used to be Emart Wolgye and is now called Starfield Market Wolgye. Walking up and seeing the new Starfield Market sign made it clear all over again how different the whole place feels compared to when it was just an Emart.
Non-Slip Socks Are a Must 🧦
One thing worth knowing about Champion Kids Cafe is that non-slip socks are required to get in. We'd actually found this out earlier, back when we checked out the store during its renewal opening, so this time we made sure to bring socks with us before heading over.
Smaller Space, But a New Art Zone 🎨
The same spot used to be home to a different kids cafe called Bounce, and comparing the two, Champion felt a bit smaller overall.
The trampoline area in particular felt more limited than before, which was a little disappointing.
On the other hand, there's now an Art Zone, a hands-on activity space that wasn't there before. Harul tried a slime-making activity there and really enjoyed it. There was a sign saying that using the Art Zone adds 20 extra minutes to your play time, though we never actually confirmed how that works. We're not sure if the extra time applies just to the person who did the activity or to the whole group.
How the Payment System Works 💳
The place runs on a QR code system. When you check in, everyone in your group gets a QR sticker based on headcount. If you buy anything or use a paid activity inside, you just give your name tied to the QR code, and everything gets settled together when you leave. Weekend pricing starts with a two-hour block as the base.
Playtime 🤸
Once we were inside, the kids had a blast. There's a ball pit, trampolines, a spinning swing-style ride, and slides. The swing ride was a big hit with Harul, who threw her arms out wide and looked completely thrilled every time it spun around. Jiyul carefully made his way across a rope bridge-style obstacle, and by the time he got to the trampoline, he was jumping high enough that his feet barely touched the mat between bounces.
A Small Moment of Honesty at Checkout 🙂
When we were checking out, something interesting happened. Harul had done the slime activity in the Art Zone, but when the staff calculated our total, that charge wasn't included. For a second, I honestly thought about just staying quiet and letting it go. But in the end, I told them about it and paid the correct amount before we left. It wasn't a huge sum of money, but it felt like the right thing to do, especially with the kids watching.
Heading Home 🚌
We took the bus back home, and after running around all day, the kids were noticeably quieter and calmer on the ride. 😴 The day didn't go exactly as planned, from the sudden snack stop to the small mix-up at checkout, but somehow that made it feel more memorable than if everything had gone smoothly.
