Oros Coffee Roasters, Sinhyeon-ri, Opo-eup, Gwangju-si.
I arrived, panting, having crossed a mountain, a river, and another mountain. I had imagined it to be a very, very small shop nestled in a quiet suburban residential area, but that was a premature misconception.
Not only the shop, but this neighborhood too, was quite different.
What is the true identity of Sinhyeon 3-ri? My first impression of Sinhyeon 3-ri, encountered after crossing Taeje Pass from Bundang, was that of a typical suburban town one might find anywhere.
However, I had a strange feeling. The village looked like any ordinary small town, yet there was an excessive amount of traffic, and despite not being a tourist area, there was a "food alley." This food alley was called Saenari Meokja Gol, and above it, along the backstreets, were rows of seemingly new multi-family dwellings. No paths connected the food alley to these multi-family dwellings, creating a sense of disconnection. The E-Pyeonhan Sesang apartment complex, which didn't seem to match the character of the neighborhood, formed the backdrop of the village. And then, there was this shop, Oros Coffee Roasters, a rather large standalone building, oddly situated. The customers inside didn't seem to be local residents, and while it wasn't a new town, some parts of it had a new town feel.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that this place might be a slightly different kind of border area. Typically, borders are defined by geographical features like mountains and rivers. If this place is different, could it be because it's not beyond a border, but rather right on the borderline itself?
Inside the shop, by the kitchen window, there's a small but not tiny roaster. In a corner of the shop, there's a restroom, thoughtfully designed to be in the customer area without feeling intrusive.
The male and female baristas are friendly.
Matching the weather, I ordered a cafe latte. The latte art is pretty. The coffee flavor is pleasant and smooth.
They also offer pour-over coffee, which I'll have to try next time.
The article has grown long. My coffee cup is empty.
The weather is very cloudy. The sky looks as if raindrops will soon fall.
This is Oros Coffee Roasters, a coffee shop located right on the border between Bundang and Gwangju.