350 Years of European Coffee Culture Showcased at Gongneung-dong Dokkaebi Market... 'Mahlwerk' Exhibition Hall Opens

Nowon District Exhibits 1,105 Rare Coffee Grinders

Nowon District in Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seungrok) announced on January 28 that it will open the 'Malberg' coffee grinder exhibition hall inside Gongneung-dong Dokkaebi Market in February this year. The exhibition hall will be in trial operation from January 26 to February 4.

A visitor is looking around a coffee grinder at the Malberg Exhibition Hall. Provided by Nowon District.

The exhibition hall, located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of a commercial building within the market, covers an area of 364 square meters. The 2nd floor houses a permanent exhibition and a caf?, while the 3rd floor features a special exhibition space and a program room. A total of 1,105 coffee grinders will be displayed, and the venue will offer exhibition commentary programs, grinder DIY workshops, hand-drip and coffee culture lectures, among other activities.

'Mahlwerk' is the German word for coffee grinder. The exhibition hall's subtitle, "350 Years of European Coffee Culture in a Traditional Market," allows visitors to explore the history of coffee culture spanning approximately 350 years, from 18th-century handcrafted grinders to 20th-century mass-produced models.

The exhibits are part of a private collection amassed by coffee grinder collector Lee Seungjae and his spouse over 25 years, beginning with their studies in Germany and continuing in various countries around the world. Of the total 1,800 pieces, 1,105 have been carefully selected for display, including items from a Guinness World Record-certified collection.

The creation of the exhibition hall has completed a walking tour route starting from Gongneung Station, passing through Gongneung-dong Dokkaebi Market, Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail, and Hwarangdae Railroad Park. The district plans to continue developing programs linked to local businesses to spread positive economic effects throughout the area.

The permanent exhibition on the 2nd floor is open from Monday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the special exhibition on the 3rd floor is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibition hall is closed every Monday.

Admission to the permanent exhibition on the 2nd floor is free. For the special exhibition on the 3rd floor, tickets are 4,000 won for adults, 2,500 won for children, people with disabilities, national merit recipients, and military/police personnel, and 3,000 won for groups. Caf? customers are eligible for discounted admission to the special exhibition. During the trial operation period, the special exhibition on the 3rd floor will also be open free of charge.

Oh Seungrok, Mayor of Nowon District, said, "A walking trail has been created that connects the history of the traditional market with the present of local businesses through coffee," adding, "We hope this space will become a symbolic, multi-cultural hub representing the Gongneung-dong business district in the future."

Wall-mounted exhibit inside the exhibition hall. Provided by Nowon District.