Where 1970s Daemyeong-dong Mansions Became a 1.5-km Café Street

How the 1.5 km stretch from Apsan Sageori to Nammyeong Samgeori became Daemyeong-dong's café street

Apsan Café Street is an approximately 1.5 km stretch connecting the Apsan Sageori–Hyeonchung Samgeori–Nammyeong Samgeori area in Daemyeong-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City. The representative address provided by Daegu Tourism Information is around 141 Daemyeong-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, and 27-1 Hyeonchung-ro 6-gil, mentioned in the question, is also within this neighborhood.

The street began taking shape after the development of Apsan Park in 1970, when restaurants appeared and more houses in Daemyeong-dong, where large residences were concentrated in the 1970s, were remodeled into coffee shops. The name “Apsan Café Street” was confirmed through a residents’ naming contest in March 2010, and the Apsan foothills trail and roadside trees were improved through a green-path development project in 2012.

What the claim of more than 40 cafés means: a mixed street of coffee, dining, and galleries

The Korea Tourism Organization states that more than 40 cafés, restaurants, and gallery cafés converted from houses line the street. Coffee, sandwiches, and dessert cafés are at the center, but pizza, pasta, and steak restaurants, Japanese restaurants, beer specialty shops, and pie specialty shops are also found throughout the area. Therefore, the operating hours or menu of one establishment should not be treated as representative of the entire street.

Daegu Tourism Information likewise specifies that “hours vary by café.” It is therefore better to decide on your purpose before visiting. Depending on whether you plan to have only coffee after a walk or include brunch or dinner, you should check each establishment’s closing days, last order time, and parking availability on the day of your visit.

Five to ten minutes from Anjirang Station on Line 1: how to enter via Hyeonchung-ro and Keungol-gil

For public transportation, Anjirang Station on Daegu Metro Line 1 is the main reference point. The Korea Tourism Organization indicates that Apsan Café Street is a five- to ten-minute walk from Anjirang Station. After leaving the station, head toward Daemyeongnam-ro and Hyeonchung-ro to reach the section lined with cafés and restaurants.

It is also important to note that the center of the street is not fixed at one building or one entrance. The representative address in official tourism information is around 141 Daemyeong-ro, while the Encyclopedia of Korean Local Culture defines the area as encompassing Apsan Sageori, Hyeonchung Samgeori, and Nammyeong Samgeori. If you are visiting for the first time, it is more accurate for navigation to designate a specific café as your destination on a map and then connect your meal with a walk.

• Metro: Anjirang Station on Line 1
• Walking distance from the station: approximately 5–10 minutes
• Representative address: around 141 Daemyeong-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City
• Street area: Apsan Sageori–Hyeonchung Samgeori–Nammyeong Samgeori area

Why the 32-space public parking lot was built in 2018–2019 and what to consider when arriving by car

Daegu Tourism Information states that the Apsan Café Street Public Parking Lot is available for use. According to Nam-gu’s 2019 special public disclosure data, the parking lot was built on an area of 989.8 m² with 32 spaces in the vicinity of 501-3 Daemyeong-dong. The project was planned in February 2018 and completed in September 2019.

The purpose of building the public parking lot was to reduce both the increasing number of visitor vehicles and parking difficulties in the densely built residential area. Since there are only 32 spaces, availability cannot be assumed during weekend meal times or the cherry blossom season. Individual establishments along the street have different private parking, partnership, and support arrangements, so drivers should consider the public parking lot their first option and separately confirm parking availability with their destination establishment.

A Daemyeong 9-dong roadside-tree section where cherry, Japanese snowbell, and ginkgo trees mark the seasons

The seasonal atmosphere of Apsan Café Street comes from its roadside trees. The Daegu Encyclopedia of History and Culture mentions paths lined with cherry and Japanese snowbell trees, while Daegu Tourism Information refers to spring cherry blossoms, autumn ginkgo trees, and winter Christmas street lights. Rather than visiting several cafés in a short time, it is better to choose one establishment and walk along the pedestrian sections of Hyeonchung-ro and Daemyeongnam-ro to enjoy the seasonal scenery.

Especially during the spring flowering season and the autumn ginkgo-leaf season, pedestrians should take priority over stopping along the roadside. This street originally grew from a residential neighborhood and still contains a mix of shops, residences, and medical facilities. Even when taking photos or waiting, be careful not to block entrances or the edges of the roadway.

How to combine Anjirang Gopchang Alley, 200–300 m away, with Apsan Park in one itinerary

Apsan Café Street is described as approximately 200–300 m from Anjirang Gopchang Alley. Both are food-themed streets in Daegu that were jointly selected as Korea Tourism Stars in 2018. You can divide your itinerary by choosing brunch, dessert, or coffee in the café street and gopchang, or grilled intestines, in Anjirang.

Apsan Park is also nearby, making it easy to combine with the café street. However, if you plan to continue to a meal after walking on Apsan or visiting the observatory, you will be using individual establishments with different operating hours, so it is better to decide on your dinner venue before setting out. A realistic plan is to allow one to two hours for walking through the café street and visiting one establishment; adding a meal in Anjirang or a visit to Apsan Park makes it a half-day outing.

• Distance to Anjirang Gopchang Alley: approximately 200–300 m
• Nearby options: Apsan Park, Anjirang Gopchang Alley, Gosangol Dinosaur Park, Daemyeong Performance and Culture Street
• Recommended time for the café street alone: approximately 1–2 hours
• Recommended time including a meal and walk: half a day

Free admission to the street itself; Nam-gu tourism information: 053-664-2765

Apsan Café Street is not a public tourist attraction with a ticketed facility but an open commercial street, so admission to the street itself is free. However, beverage and meal prices, seating rules, and whether pets are permitted vary by café and restaurant. The official tourism information contact number is 053-664-2765, and the Nam-gu tourism information website is https://nam.daegu.kr/tour/.

Accessibility should also be checked for each individual facility rather than for the street as a whole. The Korea Tourism Organization’s accessible tourism information lists accessible restrooms, designated parking spaces for people with disabilities, step-free main entrances, and access by subway and low-floor bus. However, many establishments occupy remodeled older houses, so wheelchair and stroller users should call the café they plan to visit in advance to confirm entrance steps, restroom facilities, and elevator availability.