Samoyed Cafe 'Winters Village' — Restaurant in Seoul

I went here over the summer with my children and we had an amazing time! For about $10 USD, it's totally worth it.

First, you are asked to sit or stand in an adjacent room (in order from when you came in) and wait until it's your turn. Then you'll enter the cafe but they are strict with the rules. You have to store your stuff in a locker, you have to wear a rubber bracelet (probably to indicate you are a paying customer), and you then have to wait in another waiting area. It is understandable why they enforce these rules because there could be chaos with so many people and dogs roaming around. You are also told some rules in regards on how to behave around the dogs. Because I had my kids with me and they are on the small side, I was told to have them next to me in case the dogs jumped up.

We were then brought into the 1st floor room and told to stand along the walls and windows. We also came in during a time where the dogs needed to go outside for the bathroom so we had to wait a bit which we didn't mind. (There is no time limit for your visit.) During this time, people who want to take pictures & videos of them all coming inside get directed where to sit or stand before the dogs are ushered in. They make sure that everyone has a clear view to shoot which is very appreciated!

After the dogs are brought in, the trainers(?) showed us some tricks the dogs could do which was super cute. Then we were given photo ops which they took SO fast & well. Obviously they knew all the great angles to take.

You are then welcome to go upstairs in another space to hang out with the dogs. The trainers give you some treats you can give the dogs as well. The dogs have slightly dyed tails so you are able to distinguish who is who. There is also a small Pom who is not to be touched!

We bought a couple of keychains that had a picture of our favorite dogs and contained some of their fur! We had such a lovely time: never felt rushed, the place was clean, and we got all the pics and videos we wanted.

The owner of the cafe actually owns the dogs as well and he takes meticulous care of them and it shows. I highly recommend coming...

One of the BEST places in the WORLD!! ❤️ The team — Friendly, on point, polite, and most important— they are INTERESTED IN YOU HAVING A GREAT TIME!! They will explain you do & donts, they will show dog commands and how to do them, and even something like dogs coming back from a walk they turn into the show (in a good way). We also came with tea (Gongcha nearby) and the team told us its OK to have it! There are shelves inside that everyone can put their drinks on, or in the lockers in the entrance.

The dogs. Oh. My. God. When we were visiting there were 7 dogs on 1st floor and 6 dogs with 3 puppies on 2nd floor. Each of them is unique with own identity. They are well educated, clean, and SO FLUFFY AND ADORABLE!!🥰 Honestly its a lifetime experience to communicate or just watch them. We visited them from 19:00 to 20:15 and most of the dogs were still active, as well as we saw the mini-show of dogs coming back. I love all of them and would visit them every week if I could.

The place. Location is at Hongdae which is one of the best places in Seoul for young people, so if you are around you should visit Winters Village!! The interior is AMAZING — clean, no smell, decorated with taste, THE ART ON THE WALLS with samoyeds are a joyful detail that makes whole place charming and your photos/videos from this place even more beautiful!

CONCLUSION: This is the place that EVERYONE WHO LOVES ANIMALS should visit!! Highly recommend it. If you are reading this you should definitely just go there, I am surprised to see not 10000+ reviews here and 5 stars! The time we had with my wife and friend was FANTASTIC,...

The previous reviews are on point. I personally have a Samoyed back home in the States. I was feeling a bit of withdrawal from not seeing my dog for a few days, so I wanted to visit here to see some Samoyeds to feel a little better. It is a one-time experience and my sister and I did not stay very long. There is an entrance fee and after paying, you put your belongings in a locker. Afterwards, you can walk around the first and second floors. There are several Samoyeds and they are definitely cute. However, they only come to you when you have the small amount of kibble they provided to you in your hands. We mainly just sat back and watched the dogs, because it was kind of sad seeing the crowd of people around them. We did not want to be an added stressor. The behaviors they displayed were so different from my dog, as my dog comes to you whether or not you have a treat. My dog also gets super excited when seeing new people. We left with a bittersweet feeling afterwards. We were happy to see the happy faces inherent in the Samoyeds, but sad to see the social environment. Also, I would say it is normal that the dogs interact mainly with the staff. They are basically like their family. Pros: cute faces, cute merchandise for sale, & staff are nice Cons: too crowded, pricey, & people sometimes pet them aggressively to the point that the dogs try to escape and hide… imagine someone constantly touching you all day and being all up on your face. Be gentle and give them some...