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Another Side created an indoor Christmas forest in winter 2025. As of October 22, 2026, full new-season design and display dates were still to come. A café continuing to operate does not establish that its Christmas decorations remain in place throughout the year.
A place to sit within the display
Another Side is a café in Gangseo, western Seoul, for visitors who want conversation and coffee alongside seasonal decoration. It is not an outdoor market or a ticketed light show. If you only want a quick giant-tree photograph, a shopping-mall atrium may be a more efficient choice.
The point here is to leave time for an actual drink and a seated break. Other customers are using the space to eat and talk, not waiting to become an empty background for photographs. Compare this with larger landmarks in the Seoul Christmas guide before making a detour.
What the 2025 Christmas forest offered
The 2025 setting added lights, ornaments and winter characters among the indoor trees, alongside seasonal choices such as marshmallow chocolate latte, strawberry latte and strawberry cake. The visual idea was a grove-like café setting rather than a single giant tree.
The café changes its setting with the seasons. The 2025 Christmas version was not permanent year-round decor.
| Your priority | A practical approach | Avoid assuming |
|---|---|---|
| Trees and portraits | Find a permitted angle clear of occupied seats | Every table faces a decorated tree |
| Coffee and cake | Use the current menu and ask about ingredients | Old seasonal drinks always return |
| Conversation | Separate a short photo session from your seated break | Christmas periods are necessarily quiet |
| Warmth and rest | Allow time to order and sit | A café is a free public lounge |
Balsan Station, address and opening hours
The address is the first floor of 318 Gangseo-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul: 서울 강서구 강서로 318. Approach from Line 5 Balsan Station Exit 6, approximately 462 meters away. Save 어나더사이드 in your map application before walking. Gangseo is not Gangnam, despite the similar-looking English district names.
The general café information dated September 2026 gives weekday hours of 09:00–23:00 and weekend hours of 10:00–23:00, with last orders at 22:00. These are not Christmas 2026 display hours. Check the operator’s notice again before visiting, and do not treat last order as an ideal time to begin a leisurely photo-and-dessert stop.
Ordering and finding a seat
Ask about seating, ordering expectations and photography rules before purchasing drinks. Do not assume that one drink guarantees unlimited use of a table; follow the day’s per-person ordering and seating rules. Ask about the actual recipe if milk, nuts or another ingredient matters to you; a drink’s name alone is not a reliable ingredient list.
Take a few photographs, then return to your seat rather than carrying hot drinks repeatedly through the tables. Avoid requesting that customers move for an unobstructed picture. Allow roughly 60–90 minutes as an itinerary suggestion, not a promise about the café’s table-use policy.
This slower rhythm is also a useful test of whether the café belongs in your trip. If you cannot spare time to sit, the journey may be disproportionate to the experience you want.
A west-Seoul route that makes sense
Another Side fits western Seoul more naturally than a special round trip from the city’s eastern attractions. The Seoul Botanic Park guide offers another option for a day in the wider area, but the two locations still require a separate journey; they are not adjacent attractions.
Travelers using Gimpo can consult the Gimpo Airport transport guide when considering a stop. Luggage collection, check-in and the flight itself take priority over a café visit. Being on the western side of Seoul does not make this a universally safe addition to a short airport connection.
Use the Korean map-app guide to check the complete route rather than relying on a promotional claim about fitting several locations into a few spare hours.
FAQ
Is the Christmas 2026 forest confirmed?
As of October 22, 2026, full new-season details were still to come. This guide describes the 2025 setting.
Can I enter only to take free photographs?
Ask about the current ordering and photography rules before entering; this is a working café, not a free attraction.
Which subway exit should I use?
Line 5 Balsan Station Exit 6, around 462 meters from the café at 318 Gangseo-ro.