KMK: Jeju Island | Chocolate Museum

Jeju Island Chocolate Museum. Before going to Jeju I already knew that the island was famous for its orange tangerine chocolates. I made it a special point to check out as many chocolatiers as possible. I found time to squeeze in two: the chocolate museum in Seogwipo Si and the Chocolate Palace Café on Udo Island.

The Chocolate Museum didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Our friend Kalli and warned us not to go, but we were set on seeing it for ourselves. The exterior of the building is great. It reminds me of something out of Angkor Wat. Inside, I’m afraid, doesn’t give the same experience.

The museum is all about history and process of chocolate. You can learn the origins of chocolate and the cacao bean. The museum displays the various stories and legends about chocolate in different cultures around the world. You can check out facts and figures about the countries who produce the most and consume the most chocolate.

On the first floor there are the main chocolate galleries, a theater, a year round Christmas hall, an art display and a miniature collection display. On the second floor you can find a dormitory for workers, the office, a cacao room, a library, a guest houses and the processing machinery for the beans. On the third floor there’s a chapel. Don’t ask me why. Maybe the owner worships chocolate.

The number for the museum is 064) 711-3171.

There are also Chocolate palace cafés, extensions of the museum, in Gungbok palace, apgujeong, Sulak Mountain, Changdeok Palace, and Itaewon.

On Udo there is also a Chocolate Palace Café in a house that is designated as a writing sanctuary for aspiring female Korean authors. The second floor is under construction and will be the dormitory where the authors will live. On the first floor there is a café.

I have to say that the café on Udo happened to be one of the best parts of our trip to the island. The building is styled after the home in the story Anne of Green Gables. Apparently the owner has long fascination and love affair with the story. She even has dolls and knick knacks from the same time period.

No matter the eccentrics there’s no denying the delicious hot chocolate. We spent our last minutes on Udo enjoying it. The service woman was kind enough to give us two post cards. I definitely think anyone going to the island should pop in especially on a cold day.