How a former fashion worker built a hit bagel cafe in her late 40s
Ryo, creative director of the bagel cafe London Bagel Museum / Courtesy of Yolimwon Publishing
London Bagel Museum creator shares personal journey behind her success in new book
It’s been nearly four years since London Bagel Museum opened its doors in Anguk-dong, Seoul, but the lines outside the store show no signs of letting up. What began in 2021 as a bagel cafe has grown into a cultural landmark — a place where taste and ambiance meet in rare harmony.
Behind this phenomenon is Ryo (real name Lee Hyo-jung), a 51-year-old creative director who also founded popular cafes Artist Bakery, High West and Layered.
This month, she released a personal essay collection titled “Philosophy Ryo,” which gathers over a decade of her reflections shared on social media, accompanied by her own photos and illustrations.
But this is no how-to guide for running a successful cafe. Rather, Ryo describes her book as a private journal on the “courage to live as one’s true self.”
A display at London Bagel Museum, a specialty bagel cafe in Jongno District, Seoul, features a variety of bagels and sandwiches, including spinach and potato cheese bagels. Korea Times photo by Song Ok-jin
At a press event held on Monday at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, she explained her philosophy behind creating beloved spaces: “I never set out to make trends or carefully brand anything. I just kept asking myself what I genuinely liked, and what I wanted to do. It turns out my tastes resonated with more people than I expected.”
The vintage and cozy interiors of her cafes, now something of a signature, weren’t born from strategy but simply personal preference.
“When I create a space, I avoid polishing things to look brand new,” she said. “I like places that show the passage of time. I sand, layer paint and scrape it off again. Those layers, that sense of natural wear, seem to spark people’s imagination.”
Ryo attends a press conference for her new book “Philosophy Ryo” at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Yolimwon Publishing
Yet in a society obsessed with comparison, living authentically is far from easy. “You need time alone to figure out what’s truly you,” Ryo said. “Not asking yourself what you want to do — that’s a serious form of negligence.”
Her habit of writing and drawing, no matter how briefly, is her way of archiving her emotional and creative self. “The best reference for me is always myself,” she said.
Ryo’s path wasn’t linear. A former fashion professional, she changed course after a trip to Monmouth Coffee in London left a lasting impression.
Inspired, she returned to Korea and began learning about coffee — all in her late 40s, a time when many consider change too risky. But she didn’t let age define her. “Someone else’s shortcut isn’t mine,” she said. “You have to find your own route.”
She challenges the notion that aging dulls creativity. “People say you lose touch with trends as you get older, but maybe it’s because you’ve been too busy raising kids or working to care for yourself. I don’t think age changes you. I think you become more of yourself.”
Ryo hopes her book speaks to those who feel anxious about not fitting in. “If you're worried about not meeting other people’s standards, I hope this book helps you stumble toward your own answers.”
The cover of "Philosophy Ryo" / Courtesy of Yolimwon Publishing
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.