Chagee first experience
chan
2 days ago
After arriving in Korea, I couldn’t stop thinking about the China-born tea brand CHAGEE, so I opened the app right away on the way from the airport to my hotel!
It’s been a huge topic on social media too, and I’d been thinking, “When I go to Korea, I have to try it,” so it was one of my little goals for this trip♬
But I was shocked by how popular it was, way more than I expected….
Just after 1 pm, the only location I could order from was the Yongsan I’PARK Mall branch. And it showed the pickup time as “365 minutes later”!
At first I was a bit worried, like, “Wait, can I really pick it up today…?” (lol)
I’d always pictured popular cafes in Korea having long lines, but with CHAGEE it felt less like “waiting in line” and more like “a battle to secure a slot in the app.”
You can’t just go to the store and buy it, you have to reserve a pickup slot in the app first, and that made me feel the fast-paced vibe of Korea’s cafe culture.
So I went with the “pick it up on the way back after dinner” plan and placed the order!
I bought it at 2 pm, and pickup was scheduled for 7 pm.
After that, I kept checking the app out of curiosity, and at one point the pickup time moved up a bit, so in the end I was lucky and got to pick it up about an hour earlier♬
Korean cafe apps often change in real time, so it might be a good idea to check frequently.
Since I still had some time before pickup, I wandered around Yongsan I’PARK Mall.
It’s packed with shops for fashion, lifestyle goods, cosmetics, and more, it’s so fun you won’t get bored just looking around♬
Honestly, I slightly regretted not coming to this mall earlier…!
It was bigger than I expected, with so much to see.
The clothing prices also felt relatively easy to shop, rather than department store-level, and some things even seemed a bit cheaper than in Japan.
There were lots of shops with very “Korean” designs too, so it was fun even just walking around♬
There are food courts and cafe spaces throughout, so it’s nice that you can easily take a break when you get a little hungry.
I felt like it’s a place you can really enjoy not just for shopping, but for food too!
Walking around made me hungry, so I went to a seolleongtang restaurant inside the building.
I was shocked when the food arrived about 30 seconds after ordering…! The speed at Korean restaurants impresses me every time (lol)
The seolleongtang had not only rice but also thin noodles like somen, so it was way more filling than it looked◎
Even though it was light and comforting, it really filled me up, perfect for traveling.
Before I knew it, more and more customers kept coming in, it seemed like a really popular place!
There were also lots of people eating alone, and I liked that it felt easy to pop in by yourself.
Then, when it was time, a “Ready for pickup” pop-up appeared in the app!
The system was to show that screen to the staff.
The staff checked the number, and the pickup itself was very smooth.
Even if you don’t speak much Korean, they understood right away when I showed the screen, so I could use it with no issues during my trip◎
That said, the counter area was pretty hectic….
There were lots of customers coming in and asking, “Can I buy it now?” and the staff looked busy answering over and over.
And what surprised me the most was the number of drinks waiting to be picked up!
There were dozens lined up on the counter, already ordered in the app but not yet collected, and I was honestly amazed….
It really hit me again, “Wow, it really is that popular…!”
Even so, the handoff itself was super smooth, and the organized, systemized feel was very “Korea,” which I found interesting♬
When I actually went to the store, it was really crowded, and I saw so many people walking around with CHAGEE paper bags!
The design, based on the brand’s signature red, felt premium, and even the shopping bag was cute.
This time I ordered the classic jasmine milk tea.
The moment I took a sip, the jasmine aroma gently spread, so elegant…!
It’s milk tea, but the sweetness is mild, and the aftertaste was really clean and refreshing.
I sometimes get tired of overly sweet drinks halfway through, but this one has a real tea-forward taste, so it was easy to enjoy to the last sip◎
When you’re traveling, you end up walking a lot and getting thirsty, so a refreshing milk tea like this felt especially nice.
Something else I personally loved was how sturdy the cup was!
Even after keeping it in the hotel fridge for a day, it didn’t leak, and it was easy to carry around.
The design was simple and cute too, it totally makes you want to take photos♬
By the way, the jasmine milk tea I ordered was 6,000 won, and the takeout bag was 100 won.
It felt like a pretty standard price range compared to other Korean cafes these days.
I was also worried about signing up for the app, but it was totally fine for foreigners too!
I was even able to register with a Japanese phone number◎
Still, since you might panic if you wait until after you arrive, I’d recommend registering in advance while you’re still in Japan.
The ordering process was also very simple and easy to understand, I had no problems using it even while traveling solo.
If anything, because it’s app ordering, it feels even easier to use on your own.
Even if you’re not confident in Korean, you can just show the screen to pick up your drink, so I’d recommend it to first-time visitors to Korea too♬
Personally, it seemed more doable right after opening through late morning than in the evening!
The popular locations fill up really fast, so if you want to go, it’s best to start early◎
The next day, I thought, “This time I’ll try the Gangnam branch too!” and tried again right after opening.
But the order screen wouldn’t move forward, and I ended up not being able to buy it…
I was surprised by how popular it was, but I feel like that was part of the experience too, like getting to feel “what’s trending in Korea right now.”
Hopefully by the time I go to Korea again, it’ll be a little easier to buy♬
