Everyone is welcome at this K-pop cafe
It’s no secret that with the continuous popularity of hallyu (Korean wave) in the Philippines comes the need for more spaces where people can gather and spend time with fellow fans. One of the popular places in the metro for hallyu fans is Cafe 408, a themed coffee shop inspired by K-pop boy group EXO.
Cafe 408 has two branches in Metro Manila. Its north branch is located at The Rock Lifestyle Hub in Quezon City while the newly opened south branch is located in BF Homes, Parañaque City.
The first thing we noticed when we entered Cafe 408’s south branch was the clean black, white, and gray interior design. It’s an attractive, chill look, and every EXO fan visiting will definitely notice the subtle nod to EXO’s aesthetics.
Nicole Cruz, owner of Cafe 408, said that she has been an EXO-L (fan name) since 2014. “I became a fan after the ‘Growl’ era and until now I’m still a fan,” she shared excitedly.
Cruz said being a fangirl is an important part of her life and something she remains passionate about.
Coffee and EXO
“I started formulating the idea of putting up Cafe 408 since I also really like going to coffee shops. I thought of putting the two things that I love together—coffee and EXO,” Cruz said.
The first Cafe 408 opened in 2023. The grand opening was held on April 8 of that year—the anniversary of EXO, which would also become the coffee shop’s name.
“During the pandemic, I started seeing K-pop cafés opening in Metro Manila, and it made me wonder why there were no EXO-inspired cafés opening. When the pandemic ended, I felt it was the perfect timing to open a K-pop café since people were being allowed to go out already,” Cruz said.
She said she wanted to represent the EXO fandom but when she was building the concept of the cafe, she wanted it to be inclusive of other K-pop fandoms, too.
“It’s a good thing that EXO’s aesthetic can be very low-key, very minimalist,” she said. She picked significant but low-key EXO concepts that were a perfect fit for a cafe design, too.
“I made sure that even those who weren’t K-pop fans won’t feel out of place in the cafe,” she said.
Cruz said they have customers who tell them they were surprised that Cafe 408 was a K-pop inspired cafe.
“We end up promoting EXO to them, too. When they comment about the posters or albums we put up as design, we tell them it’s an EXO member and those who are not fans get to know more about the group,” Cruz said.
When asked what’s the best part about running the cafe, Cruz shared that she’s happy doing what she loves and, at the same time, getting to help or support her fandom and even other fandoms by providing a space for them to celebrate their events.
Cafe 408 has hosted several fandoms—and not just K-pop fandoms. They’ve also held events for anime fans.
On the day of our interview with her in December, there was a cup sleeve event for EXO’s Suho in the south branch and a cup sleeve event for Haikyuu’s Kageyama Tobio in the north branch. A cup sleeve event is usually organized by K-pop fandoms to celebrate their favorite artist’s birthday, anniversary, or other important milestones. They decorate the venue—often a coffee shop—with photos and merchandise and hand out special, personalized cup sleeves that are collectibles for fans.
Safe space
Cruz’s previous experience organizing events for her fandom has influenced the way she runs her cafe. “We’re not closing our doors to other fandoms. Before opening the cafe, I held events for EXO too, and I really had a hard time looking for cafes that would accept our events because they didn’t understand the concept and purpose of our events.”
Another challenge she faced while trying to organize those events was being judged as she tried to book venues. “This is one of the reasons I opened this cafe, for fandoms to have a safe space for their events, too,” Cruz added.
She said that in Cafe 408, the staff and management understand the hows and whys of fans that hold their events. This, for her, is the most rewarding part of her business and what she thinks is her role in the community.
“I feel happy seeing other people happy every time they go into the cafe. When you see your fandom get together, it’s a very touching experience. I also go to the events of other fandoms and it’s a happy feeling to see that we are one,” she said, laughing as she referenced the EXO slogan “We are one.”
Cosmic Latte
Cafe 408’s signature Cosmic Latte, based on the EXO fandom’s colors, remains the bestseller.
“Other people probably don’t know it but they still order it,” she said with a laugh. “If you are not a fan of super bitter coffee, it’s the perfect drink.”
She also recommends the Cream Soda, which was based on EXO’s recent group comeback.
“I really wanted it to be blue because that was the color of the drink Exo members were holding. I am very particular with little details like this and I really want it to be as accurate as possible to the concepts of EXO,” Cruz said.
She said she is having fun running the cafe because planning and executing her ideas is like fan-girling, too.
But like every business, there are difficult sides to it.
“It’s the typical business hurdles. Our south branch is new so it’s a challenge to market yourself in a new area. In our north branch, we have our loyal customers already. Here, part of the challenge is getting the market to know your place and introduce yourself as a safe space for fans and non-fans to visit,” she said.
“Now, there are also a lot of cafes already, so promotion should be done well,” she said.
Cruz said she wants to be a continued source of support for projects of fandoms even in small ways. She also wants to tell her fellow K-pop fans to not be afraid to show their fan side to other people.
“I believe the majority of our customers were like that. They were looking for a place to be themselves. So be true to yourself and somehow, I believe, you will find other people who love the same things you love,” she said.
Cafe 408 is located at 2F The Rock Lifestyle Hub, Holy Spirit Drive, Isidora Hills, Quezon City; and 162 Aguirre Ave., BF Homes, Parañaque City.
