Dore Dore founder Kim Kyung-ha aims to set new trend with Italian pastry venture

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Dore Dore founder Kim Kyung-ha aims to set new trend with Italian pastry venture

Published: 10 Sep. 2024, 07:00 Updated: 10 Sep. 2024, 10:16

LEE JIAN
lee.jian@joongang.co.kr

[Interview]

Dore Dore founder Kim Kyung-ha at her new cafe Amor Napoli in Jongno District, central Seoul [PARK SANG-MOON]

Dozens of eye-catching desserts appear each season but only a few manage to be memorable. The tall, silky rainbow-layered cake is likely to make that select group for many in Korea.

The rainbow layer cake was one of the first desserts in Korea to experience digital superfame. In a matter of months, the cake’s creator Dore Dore multiplied its stores across the country, and its founder Kim Kyung-ha, freshly out of university, quickly became the talk of the town.

Almost two decades later, Kim can now admit that not only does she have a hard time staying in the know online but also, she isn't so amused by internet fads.

“I don’t consider myself to be a very trendy person. If anything, I’m more old-school,” she told the Korea JoongAng Daily in an interview last month at Jongno District, central Seoul. “I was actually even a little bit sad because the rainbow cake’s online fame sort of muddied our intended brand image.”

Rainbow cake at Dore Dore [DORE DORE]

Instagrammable Dore Dore cakes [DORE DORE]

According to Kim, the original inspiration of Dore Dore was, surprisingly enough, the kinfolk trend, which is a global movement advocating a slow and minimalist lifestyle.

“I intended Dore Dore to be a place where people could spend their leisure time and spread warmth by giving and receiving our cakes,” she said. “We certainly got lucky with our timing, especially with the rise of Instagram and Garosu-gil [a then-hip street in Gangnam District, southern Seoul].

“I’m glad [the rainbow cake] did well, but it just wasn’t something we were going for or expecting.”

It is no secret that Dore Dore has ridden the digital wave since the appearance of the rainbow cake, with a stream of other eye-popping, colorful and adorable cakes. But with Kim’s second brand, the modern coffee shop Mahogany that now has 15 stores in Korea, she has been trying to pivot back to her brand’s original values. Her newest pastry-slash-coffee shop Amor Napoli is another effort, said Kim.

“I don’t think I’m alone with this online fatigue,” she said. “There are more and more people looking for things that are stripped down to their basics.”

Dore Dore's new cafe Amor Napoli in Jongno District, central Seoul [LEE JIAN]

Amor Napoli is a large Neapolitan pastry shop situated in Seoul’s old town, nearby Anguk Station in Jongno District, central Seoul.

Inside the unassuming building is an extensive selection of pastries and baked goods, helmed by chef Kim Kyun-joon who makes a solid effort for authenticity. Some classic Italian pastries such as rum babà (a small mushroom-shaped yeast cake soaked in rum syrup), zeppole (deep-fried donut balls), maritozzi (orange-scented brioche buns with cream) and graffa (donut twists coated with sugar powder) stand out. Certainly, there are no rainbow cakes, though they are originally said to be Italian.

Its spaciousness over three floors of Naples-inspired décor also makes Amor Napoli different from many others near it, as the area near Anguk Station is home to a host of small, quirky coffee shops around its narrow alleys.

Kim hoped Amor Napoli could serve as an oasis for busy Seoulites. “I hope this space can be an escape for people where they can enjoy really tasty pastries and rest,” she said.

Neopolitan pasteries at Amor Napoli [LEE JIAN]

Canoli and rum babà at Amor Napoli [LEE JIAN]

Space is often taken for granted but it was the central part of Kim’s decision to delve into the F&B business 20 years ago, when she was a sophomore undergraduate studying urban engineering.

She liked her major but was not so interested in planning large malls and practical apartment buildings as most of her classmates go on to do. Rather, she was more interested in curating spaces geared toward content and human stories.

“I wanted to focus more on the software, rather than the hardware,” she said. “And when I realized this, opening my own F&B brand became an obvious answer to what I wanted to do.”

The relationship between space and coffee shops has grown in recent years, especially in tandem with the country’s surging housing prices.

The average jeonse (large lump-sum rent deposit) property in Seoul now exceeds 24 million won ($17,446) per 3.3 square meters (35.5 square feet), according to data from KB Land, a private real estate statistics provider. This is about an 8 percent on-year increase.

Kim Kyung-ha talks to the Korea JoongAng Daily at Amore Napoli in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Aug. 5. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Last year’s report by the Office for Government and Policy Coordination states that six out of 10 Koreans between the ages of 19 and 34 remain financially dependent on their parents to cut back on living expenses. Those who do choose to move out and live alone most commonly opt for “one-rooms.” Their average size is 14 square meters, which can fit a bed and a desk but doesn’t leave much room to move around.

In need of more and better space, many take shelter in cafes during the day and in the evenings. So, instead of dreaming up another buzzy edible, Kim focused on curating a space for her customers to be the stars of Amor Napoli.

“I believe it is very important for a cafe to have an accessible and comfortable space so that they can create their own special memories and spend time in unique ways,” said Kim. “That’s what makes a space special.”

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]