[Seukon Exploration] Tried a Burger-Shaped Cake

Visit to Nudeike Seongsu Branch

Editor's NoteWords like ‘special·hot place·limited-time popup store’ instantly make your heart race. It’s because you’re curious about what exactly makes these places so special and different that so many people flock to them. You don’t want to revisit places you’ve already been, but you don’t want to miss out on the HOT spots everyone’s talking about either. If you want to visit somewhere truly special, you’ve come to the right place. DrinKit editors have explored various stores and are here to share their experiences. Introducing Scon Exploration (Special Concept Store Exploration)! Were the editors able to truly catch a ‘special scent’ at the places they visited?

A place you’ve seen multiple times on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. A place selling burger-shaped cakes, cakes you tear apart by hand, and croissants the size of two finger joints. Just reading this far, you probably already know who the star of this is. That’s right. It’s that very place. A place selling cakes that are new (New), different (Different), and unique (Cake) that you won’t find anywhere else ? we visited Nudeike Seongsu Branch.

Nudeike is a cafe operated by the hot eyewear brand Gentle Monster. True to its brand identity of offering desserts fused with visual art, Nudeike Seongsu Branch resembles a gallery more than a cafe. Despite the heavy rain on Monday morning, two groups were already waiting at the entrance right at opening time. The extraordinary exterior and weekday morning wait heightened the anticipation even before stepping inside.

As soon as I entered the store, a round table filled with numerous cakes caught my eye. The overall dim lighting with bright spotlights shining down on the cakes made me feel like I was in a museum or art gallery. I examined the cakes from afar and then up close, as if admiring art pieces. There wasn’t a single familiar whole cake or ordinary slice. Instead, there was a lineup of unfamiliar, experimental cakes that looked like something out of a dream, on display.

To celebrate the opening of Nudeike Seongsu Branch, burger cake samples were also displayed on the table. There were three types in total: a chocolate cake shaped like a burger patty with onion cream, the ‘Onion Pickle Burger Cake’ with pickles and cheese, the ‘Peak Burger Cake’ with matcha cream sandwiched between black buns, and the ‘Corn Ramen Burger Cake’ with corn cream topped with ramen snacks. They came in two sizes: regular and micro, with the micro size small enough to fit in one bite. I ordered all three micro-sized burger cakes exclusive to the Seongsu branch and Nudeike’s signature cake, the small-sized ‘Peak’.

After placing my order, I took a closer look around the interior. What impressed me most was that every table had different lighting and chair designs. Like the cakes here, the design and arrangement of chairs and lights were very experimental. Sitting with a red rectangular light behind me felt like sitting in the middle of an installation art piece. However, despite the spacious area, there weren’t many seats available ? just one large round table in the center and about five tables inside.

(From left) Micro Corn Ramen Burger Cake, Micro Pickle Burger Cake, Micro Onion Pickle Burger Cake / Each 2,000 KRW

The adorable burger cakes were served on a large plate. With mixed feelings of anticipation and slight concern, I tasted each one. The ‘Micro Onion Pickle Burger Cake’ had a strong onion cream flavor, making the chocolate bun in the center barely noticeable. But that was what made it delicious. Since the chocolate flavor wasn’t dominant, the salty onion cream paired well with the pickles and cheese. On the other hand, the ‘Micro Peak Burger Cake’ tasted familiar, like dipping bread into matcha cream. The ‘Micro Corn Ramen Burger Cake’ was somewhat ordinary with corn cream and ramen snacks, and it was disappointing that the snacks were soggy rather than crispy.

All three looked like burgers on the outside but tasted closer to cream bread. The most memorable among them was the Onion Pickle Burger Cake. The rich onion cream was a masterstroke. The sweet and salty cream harmonized well with the other ingredients. If you plan to visit Nudeike Seongsu Branch to try the burger cakes, I recommend choosing this one.

Peak Small / 23,000 KRW

The ‘Peak’ is a matcha cream-filled ink pastry. It’s a unique cake where you tear the pastry and dip it into the cream. Neither the pastry nor the cream was overly sweet, and the cream had a pleasantly bitter matcha flavor that didn’t get cloying. To put it simply, it tasted like a soft matcha cream bread. It pairs well with warm coffee and is the familiar taste we all know. After seeing the striking visuals, I expected a distinctive flavor, but it wasn’t particularly special.

My first-ever visit to the hot place, Nudeike. It’s a spot where you can enjoy the cafe interior styled like a gallery and cakes that look like art pieces. Although all the desserts I ordered that day had unfamiliar and bold visuals but rather ordinary tastes, I think it’s a choice worth considering for those who want to spend a hip day in Seongsu-dong.

Four-letter review: “SOSO”

Photo by Kim Bomi