[Well-curated weekend] Up for some indoor sports? How about plant-watching and coffee-tasting?

Looking to grow your own greens this spring, but don’t know how?

Sikmulsung Dosan, a cafe and showroom that presents indoor farming methods, is the place to visit.

Located near Dosan Park in a fashionable Gangnam-gu neighborhood of luxury fashion houses, Sikmulsung Dosan serves salad bowls, coffee and other beverages made using vegetables grown in the store’s own indoor farm.

Customers can peek at the vegetable cultivation room, where plants are grown under a controlled environment regardless of the weather outside.

Your orders are brought to you via a conveyor belt installed over the bar counter.

A collection of Sikmulsung Dosan goods are on display by the window. They include basic do-it-yourself planting kits with detailed instructions. Various plant nutritional supplements as well as fresh meal kits can also be bought.

“Smart farming has certainly become a buzzword, but not many are familiar with the concept yet. We opened this showroom at the city center last year, with hopes to inspire younger generations to become interested in the concept of vertical farming,” said a Sikmulsung Dosan promotion staff member at the showroom.

If you are a fan of modern interiors and design, the cafe is a good place to look around. Under the concept of another planet, most of the installations are made of stainless steel — providing a visual contrast and highlighting the natural green colors of the plants.

Sikmulsung Dosan operates daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Plant kits can also be ordered online through its official website.

Challenge yourself with indoor sports

For those wishing to have an indoor game and sports experience, a visit to Sports Monster at Starfield Hanam in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, might be a perfect solution.

Located on the fourth and top floors of South Korea’s largest shopping mall complex, Sports Monster offers various activities divided into four zones: Basic, Exciting, Adventure and Digital.

The center is located some 10 minutes by foot from Hanam Geomdansan Station Exit No. 1 on Subway Line 5.

From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the space invites visitors of all ages above 120 centimeters in height.

Tickets are priced at 25,000 won and 20,000 won for adult and teenagers, respectively.

Upon admission, visitors receive wristbands and can enjoy the different facilities for a maximum of two hours.

The band can be used to play games at Sports Monster and informs you of the time remaining. An additional fee of 1,000 won is charged every 10 minutes once the maximum two hours are over.

From ball sports and shooting games to climbing and slides, Sports Monster presents a chance to enjoy indoor sports and challenge yourself to some extreme activities.

While special equipment or gear aren’t required, visitors may want to change into a T-shirt and comfortable pants.

Make sure to bring some cash to use the locker room and the vending machines.

Taste coffee from Ganeung in the heart of Seoul

Coffee aficionados do not have to travel to Gangneung, a city famous for coffee in Gangwon Province, to try a delectable cup of espresso this weekend.

Renowned baristas from Gangneung are coming to Culture Station Seoul 284, a former Seoul train station that has become a multipurpose art and cultural complex.

The event titled “Barista and Gangneung” aims to shed light on Ganeung, which had a unique tea culture during the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. – A.D. 935) due to its high-quality water. It is known today as the city of coffee in Korea.

From Friday to May 8. the RTO space at Culture Station Seoul 284 will hold a special coffee event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

At the event, baristas from Gangneung will introduce their popular cafes and also prepare coffee for free taste testing. Bohemian Parkyichu Coffee, Roastery: Circle, Coffee Bus Stop and 364 Coffee Story are just a few of the participating Gangneung cafes.

There also will be seminars and experience events taking place at the cultural space.

On Friday, El Cafe coffee roaster CEO and barista Yang Jin-ho, who is also a co-chairman of the Gangneung Coffee Festival, will give a talk about what makes different coffee tastes distinct. This seminar is also free of charge.

Visitors can also try their hand at blending coffee and learn how to reuse old coffee grounds when planting trees. Those who bring their old coffee grounds from home can trade them with coffee clay, which kids can play with.

More details about the event can be found on Culture Station Seoul 284 website and on social media.

(hykim@heraldcorp.com)

(sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)

(ssh@heraldcorp.com)

By Korea Herald (khnews@heraldcorp.com)