The Best Co-Working Cafés in Busan

Playground Café is tucked away in a quiet street, around five minutes from Seomyeon subway station. Its quirky design lends itself well to creative thinking. Bunk beds are repurposed as seating, exposed wood is painted a seaside blue, and it’s popular with a trendy, indie crowd. It’s on the second floor – watch out for the calorie-counting steps.

Located in a former hospital building, Brown Hands is all exposed brick walls and industrial-chic design. It’s the artsiest café in the Busan Station area, and there are plenty of cosy nooks where you can while away a few diligent hours. It’s also right opposite the train station, so it’s a great spot for getting some work done before hopping onto the express train to Seoul, or other local and national services.

Bake House is a coffee shop and dessert café at the top of Haeundae’s artsy Dalmaji Hill. It has ocean views which are lovely in the evening, as Dalmaji is a famous spot for viewing the moonrise. The café is airy and bright, and permeated by the smell of fresh baking. Get there early for a good seat and your pick of the breads.

Momos is well-known in the city for its great coffee. With its own on-site roastery, it painstakingly sources beans from all over the world. It’s also credited with starting the Busan trend for offering three different types of espresso. Surrounded by greenery and spanning two floors, the café is a relaxing place to get some work done. It’s only a few minutes from Oncheonjang subway station. The bars and restaurants around nearby Pusan National University are also well worth exploring, especially for live music.

Motto Coffee is mid-way between the tourist hotspots of Gwangan and Centum City, but is located by Mangmi subway station – an area few foreigners venture to (you’ll need to change to the brown line at Suyeong). It’s the epitome of cool Korean café design: green plants bring a splash of neutral colour to bare wood and white walls, and the minimalist furniture imparts a sense of calm and relaxation. It’s a great place to recharge your batteries, especially if you’re waiting for inspiration to strike.

Café Dennis is located at the edge of hip downtown district, Seomyeon, not too far from Jeonpo Café Street. It’s casual, creative and arty, and there are always people working here, either on group projects or tapping away at a Macbook. It has a retro, industrial-chic vibe, with exposed concrete walls and ceiling and steel tables. It’s also dog-friendly, which adds to the relaxed atmosphere.