On Saturday, March 14th, I visited Pangyo. I had a cup of coffee at Cafe Handmade Hipex Branch, and since the weather had warmed up a lot, I walked through several parks. We had a hearty walk and the lamb skewers at Igane Lamb Skewers were really delicious.
☕ Cafe
On weekends there are usually not many people in Pangyo. Because of that, some cafes were closed, and since many Pangyo cafes are quite small, it's often hard to find a seat.
We were lucky to find an available seat and dropped by Cafe Handmade Hipex Branch.
Cafe Handmade Hipex Branch
Cafe Handmade has several branches in Pangyo. We visited the Hipex branch.
The interior is cozy and charming. When the weather warms up a bit more, people seem to sit at the outside tables in front of the shop.
Coffee Beans
Since there are many office workers in Pangyo, they seem to offer a wide variety of coffee beans. You could choose from six different types.
[Bean Varieties]
Daily Blend: Tangy and sweet in summer, nutty in winter
Guatemala Antigua: Dark roast with the most nutty flavor
Kenya AA: A commonly chosen bean for its acidity and heavy body
Decaf Colombia: A mild decaffeinated bean with nutty tones
Premium Geisha: A premium bean with jasmine, tropical fruit, and honey aromas
Premium Blue Mountain: A premium bean that brings out excellent aroma and nutty flavors
Cafe Handmade Fresh Fruit Juices
In front of the shop, they had an appealing display of fresh fruit juices and bite-sized fruit that looked like they'd be great for your health. They'd make a nice breakfast substitute. 🤤
Overall, the shop had a fresh vibe that I liked!
⛲ Parks
Since the weather had warmed up, we took a stroll around the parks near Pangyo before dinner. The first place we visited was Botdeul Park.
Botdeul Park
I thought it would be a park with some hills... but it was almost like a mountain..? When we first reached the entrance, we were like 'Oh~~ this is great~' and were enjoying the surroundings...
After passing a rather ominous sign and heading up, the real hiking begins... It felt like a small local mountain. I remember being surprised how out of breath I got climbing it. 😅
There were rest spots along the way, and it felt like a mountain in the middle of the city — perfect for a change of pace. And! When we reached the park's highlight, the octagonal pavilion, I felt glad we climbed up. ☺️
Botdeul Park Octagonal Pavilion
The octagonal pavilion is located a bit inward. As you make your way through the slopes, its silhouette gradually comes into view.
This is the view from the pavilion. You can see all of Pangyo at a glance! It took about 20 minutes to get up to the pavilion, I think.
The night view would probably be beautiful, but you don't pass streetlights while climbing the hill, so it might be dangerous to climb at night.
After descending, we took a few shots on the way toward Hwarang Park passing through Pangyo Techno Valley. The pedestrian overpasses in Pangyo and Seongnam have a somewhat futuristic feel.
Botdeul Reservoir Park
We stopped by on the way to Hwarang Park. It felt like a small park perfect for a lunchtime walk. There was even a basketball hoop.
Pangyo Technopark Park
Like Botdeul Reservoir Park, it's on the way to Hwarang Park. There is a stream branching from the Tancheon, so it should be cool in summer. I also remember seeing what looked like a heron, which was interesting.
As we kept walking, we found a rocking chair and took a short rest~
We also saw a magpie gathering twigs to build a nest.
Hwarang Park
After walking a bit further, we suddenly came across a clay path. 😲
Hwarang Park Clay Path
It turned out that because we walked down from Botdeul Park, we saw the Hwarang Park clay path from the opposite direction. 😅 As of March 14, 2026, it felt like it was temporarily closed (?).
There was even a space to wash your feet. Overall, it felt well-maintained.
Hwarang Park Main Plaza
The plaza at Hwarang Park felt very open. The plaza is large, so many families were out for walks and there were lots of kids riding boards.
As we walked through the plaza, we spotted a bookshelf-like setup that caught my eye, so we checked it out.
It looked like you could borrow books for free. When the weather gets warmer, it would be nice to spread a mat and read a book!
🍖 Dinner Spots
Passing by Hwarang Park made us hungry, so we headed straight to Igane Lamb Skewers Pangyo Main Branch.
Igane Lamb Skewers Pangyo Main Branch
From king-sized lamb skewers to eggplant dishes, everything was really delicious.
For detailed information about the menu, waiting, parking, and more, please check the post below!
Aigasa (Pangyo Izakaya)
After the main course at Igane Lamb Skewers, we looked for a relatively quiet spot with simple snacks and stopped by Aigasa, a Pangyo izakaya.
For details about the menu and the shop atmosphere, please check the post below!
🗺️ Pangyo Outdoor Date Course Summary
This day we followed the route below. Starting at Cafe Handmade Hipex Branch, we passed through Botdeul Park and Hwarang Park, and went to Igane Lamb Skewers Pangyo Main Branch for dinner.
We walked roughly 4 km over about 2 hours. The distance wasn't huge, but because we climbed a mountain section, my Apple Watch recorded a walking workout intensity of level 5. 😲
Pangyo is very quiet on weekends, so if you find yourself in Pangyo on a weekend, I recommend taking a walk through Botdeul Park and Hwarang Park! 🙌
