August 18, 2025
SEOUL – At exactly 7 a.m., sunlight poured into a glass-walled cafe in central Seoul, splashing over a crowd ready to party. The bass thumped, not in the haze of a nightclub, but in the clean, crisp air of a new day. No cocktails, no cigarette smoke. Instead, lemon-flavored Americano and Matcha coconut were served as strangers grinned at one another across the dance floor. This is not a night out — it’s the Seoul Morning Coffee Club’s “Morning Rave.”
A disc jockey plays music at the Seoul Morning Coffee Club Morning Rave on Aug 9. PHOTO: SEOUL MORNING COFFEE CLUB/THE KOREA HERALD
The idea is simple but surprising in a city known for its late-night drinking culture. In the SMCC world, the first sip of coffee replaces the first round of shots, and by 10 a.m., participants are heading to work, weekend plans, or errands refreshed.
The crowd that morning was a living snapshot of Seoul’s diversity.
A 16-year-old middle school student came alone, driven by his love for music. A handful of foreign residents mingled with long-time Seoulites. Elders in their 60s and 70s jumped and danced to the beat alongside Gen Z dancers.
What united them wasn’t age, style, or background. It was the shared delight of being present, together, in the morning. Here, nobody worried about fitting in. If you liked music, good conversation and the freshness of early hours, you belonged.
Park Jae-hyun (second from the left), founder of Seoul Morning Coffee Club, talks to participants from an elders’ community, The New Grey, at the Morning Rave. PHOTO: SEOUL MORNING COFFEE CLUB/THE KOREA HERALD
Connection in daylight
For Mikayla Salomons, 31, who moved from Ontario to Seoul eight years ago, the concept instantly clicked.
“I love a party, and love to dance, but I’m so bad at staying up so late,” she said. “This is honestly ideal for me. I also hate the hangover.” Observing morning gatherings abroad, she said this was part of a broader shift among millennials and Gen Z away from alcohol-centered nightlife.
“Everybody is starving for more genuine connections and communities,” she said. “When you’re sober, you’re your authentic self. You need a bit more bravery to dance and say hello to people, but that bravery adds depth to the connection.”
For Lee Kyoung-hee, 64, a real estate agent in Seoul, the new trend is awakening. “When I was in my 20s, we drank too much at night. But this, meeting in the morning and taking care of health, is something I’ve never seen before. If this culture takes root, I think society will become healthier.”
SMCC’s gatherings extend beyond the dance floor.
On weekdays, they host “coffee chats” across the city — small-group meetups before work designed to awaken both mind and body.
Shin Ga-eun, a marketer in her 30s, said these mornings transformed her routine: “I was never a morning person, but having a reason to get up changed my pattern. I also learned more about self-care from meeting people who value living well.”
Others, like Joy Yeom, a Jeju Island resident who traveled to Seoul for a coffee chat, say this is a place to expand her thoughts, even the world. “Because the common ground is morning, you meet people from all fields, sharing insights, tastes, even just favorite music and movies. It’s a safe space to be myself.”
Park Jae-hyun (right), founder of Seoul Morning Coffee Club, talks to participants at a coffee chat. PHOTO: SEOUL MORNING COFFEE CLUB/THE KOREA HERALD
Why mornings matter
SMCC founder Park Jae-hyun knows exactly why he built this space. After a decade abroad in cities where early-morning cafe culture was a given, he was surprised to find few cafes in Seoul opening before 11 a.m. “In Korea, if you’re out in the morning, people think you’re being extra productive, like you’re living a ‘perfect life,’” he said. “But morning doesn’t have to mean working harder. It can just be the time you enjoy most.”
Park, who has lived with a strict early routine since a leukemia diagnosis at age 20, sees mornings as a rare window of calm before the day’s demands. “Before 8 a.m., it’s quiet, traffic is light, and there are no interruptions,” he said. “It’s the one time you can fully have for yourself.”
The club’s philosophy is intentionally light. Topics at coffee chats range from favorite songs to recent movies — not investment strategies or self-help advice. Participants don’t exchange business cards, ages, or job titles. “It removes the hierarchy and expectations,” Park explained. “You’re just a person who showed up at 8 a.m. to have coffee.”
Participants take pictures, enjoying SMCC’s Morning Rave. PHOTO: SEOUL MORNING COFFEE CLUB/THE KOREA HERALD
Participants at Seoul Morning Coffee Club’s Morning Rave dance. PHOTO: SEOUL MORNING COFFEE CLUB/THE KOREA HERALD
People from diverse nationality come to enjoy the Morning Rave. PHOTO: SEOUL MORNING COFFEE CLUB/THE KOREA HERALD
Cultural shift
Park believes this shift is about more than coffee; it’s about rewriting social habits in a city built around late nights. Alcohol-free gatherings create a different social energy, one that fosters trust and ease across generations. By intentionally inviting seniors and encouraging intergenerational participation, SMCC aims to bridge social gaps and model an “ageless” culture.
It quietly resists the pressure to conform to polished images. “Running crews here often feel exclusive, like you have to look a certain way to join,” Park said. “We want to be the opposite: a space where you can show up as you are.”
The concept is catching on. SMCC now collaborates with brands, hosts events like book clubs and morning film screenings, and partners with companies to run wellness programs for employees. But at its heart, the mission remains simple: Give people a reason to step outside in the morning and connect.
For participants, the impact is tangible. It’s in the teenager dancing without self-consciousness, the retiree discovering a new kind of joy, the newcomer who feels at home in a city of strangers. Park hopes it will ripple outward. “If people can be themselves, respect each other, and connect without judgment, that’s a healthier society,” he said.
And perhaps the most radical part? In a city where nights have long claimed the crown, mornings are finally having their moment.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com