Myeongwol Elementary School 명월국민학교

Near Hyeopjae Beach in Jeju, this massive cafe occupies an entire decommissioned elementary school that has been beautifully repurposed. Each old classroom has been transformed into a different zone-cafe seating, a souvenir shop with retro stationery, and a small gallery-all under one roof. Walking through the original wooden hallways immediately transported me back to my own school days, and the former schoolyard has been converted into a grassy lawn where kids were happily running around. The plum ade was refreshingly sweet and left a strong impression, and they also serve nostalgic Korean street food like Pikachu-shaped donkatsu and old-school tteokbokki. There are fun experiential touches too, like vintage paper-drawing games and retro snacks from Korean corner shops of decades past. The drink prices run a bit high, but they make sense when you consider the experience as an admission fee. The parking lot is as vast as the old playground, so space is never an issue.