Giant, surreal stone cafe in Daelim-dong

Lostone, a four-story cafe in Daelim-dong, Seoul, offers a unique spacial experience beyond just visiting a cafe for a cup of coffee.

Lostone is an abbreviation of “lost stone.” Dozens of giant stone pieces make up part of the wall on each floor, creating a unique atmosphere.

The cafe building took three years to come together. Inspired by oddly formed rocks and strangely shaped stones frequently seen in Korean and Chinese landscape paintings, the architect wanted to create the space as a place to restore what’s lost in the city, like the giant stones now hardly seen in modern cities. The building itself constitutes surreal scenery for mother nature, according to the cafe.

Specially manufactured chairs that reflect the space’s unique concept are placed on the first, second and third floors, with the fourth floor as a small gallery.

Lostone offers a signature item for the season with its ice cream coffee. Uniquely blended espresso is poured over the soft milk ice cream, giving a sweet and creamy Affogato-like taste.

Ice cream coffee is priced at 6,500 won, and Lostone opens every day from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Museum exhibition with your pet

If you have a companion dog, you might have imagined what it would be like to go to an exhibition with your dog. Luckily, one such exhibition going on at Seongnam Cube Art Museum in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, allows you to bring along your pet.

The exhibition “Hello! Pet, Another Family” shows paintings, sculptures, photographs and installations by 11 artists who were inspired by their canine companions.

Pioneering Korean feminist artist Yun Suk-nam created 2,400 wooden sculptures of abandoned dogs over five years after reading an article about a woman who took care of 1,025 abandoned dogs in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, in 2003. More than 100 of the sculptures are on display at the museum.

Keum Hye-won shows the series “Cloud Shadow Spirit,” which shows interviews with people who went through deep sorrow after losing their beloved dogs. Behind the filmed interviews are articles their dogs left behind, such as clothes, bowls and toys. Meanwhile, paintings by Lee A-young and photographs by Yoon Jeong-mee arouse a warm feeling and elicit a smile.

The museum is located on the second floor of Cube Plaza at the Seongnam Arts Center in Seongnam's Bundang-gu. The exhibition runs through June 25. Admission is free.

Enjoy food from around the world

Seoul City is holding the Seoul Friendship Festival, where visitors can experience cultures from around the world at Gwanghwamun Square and Cheonggye Plaza, on Saturday and Sunday.

This year, 68 foreign embassies in Korea are participating. Various programs such as traditional costume experiences, photo exhibitions and picture book exhibitions will be available. The opening ceremony is to be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square.

The most popular event is the global food market, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. around the Cheonggyecheon area. The festival will also feature desserts and drinks at a cafe exhibition, including arroz con leche, or rice pudding in milk from the Dominican Republic, brown cheese slices from Norway, honey cake from the Czech Republic and much more. Bring a reusable cup and you will receive a 1,000 won discount coupon that can be used at the festival.

Six cultural performances from six countries and 16 teams recommended by the embassies will perform on the main stage. Colombian salsa, Ghanaian traditional dance, Hokkaido percussion, Brazilian capoeira and Latvian traditional music will be performed.

At 7 p.m. on Saturday, Gwanghwamun Square will transform into an open-air theater where movies recommended by foreign embassies will be screened on a giant screen.

For a detailed program schedule, check the Seoul Friendship Festival website, Facebook or Instagram, or contact the Dasan Call Center for inquiries.