Coworking Space in Seoul: Maru 180
Best for: Pre-founders, young startups, freelancers who are looking for a affordable workspace with versatile features.
Cost:
Day pass – 6,600 KRW;
“10 times per month”: 100,000 KRW;
Monthly membership: 180,000 KRW (discounts available if you get 3 or 6 months);
Evening pass (work days 6PM-11PM): 69,000 KRW;
Amenities: Unlimited coffee and tea, Cafe, Printing facility, Lockers; Meeting rooms;
Review:
Micimpact studio is coworking space located on the first floor of widely known around Seoul startup incubator Maru 180. It has roughly 80 seats with two main areas: the cafe and a quiet room. Despite being not as huge as some other coworking spaces at Seoul, it has a nice balance between two areas and doesn’t feel overwhelming even at the busiest hours.
It is really easy to access Micimpact studio since they offer a day pass for less than 10 bucks. You can work at any seat you prefer as well as enjoy unlimited coffee and tea. And if you get hungry or craving something fancier than Americano, you can order them at the cafe. Micimpact also offers monthly memberships with extra benefits like a device room with a total of 32 Android and Apple devices of different generations to test your app performance. Members also have a discount for orders at the cafe, benefits with renting meeting rooms and unlimited access to the printing facility.
WiFi connection is fast and stable, but don’t throw away your receipt because this is where you will find the wifi password.
The staff is really friendly here. They are fluent in the English language and encourage informal elements of communication of western coworking spaces. For example, Micimpact has started an extra networking event on Thursdays called “Fica”, which is a “coffee-break” tradition in Sweden that creates space for small talks and new acquaintances.
Benefits:
- Deal-breaker: Let’s be honest, working at cafes in Seoul for half a day will make you spend around 10 000 – 15 000 KRW for a basic drinks. And there is list of things that make working at cafes an unpleasant experience. In that sense, paying 6,600 for the whole day of free drinks, and working alongside other determined and focused people isn’t even a choice.
- Flexibility to choose a space between quiet and lively atmosphere: it is great when space is designed with a sense of social protocol in mind. Chose for yourself where to sit and don’t waste your time on being distracted or feeling uncomfortable by silence.
Downsides:
- Meeting rooms booking: Micimpact studio lacks an online booking system for meeting rooms. You have to go and arrange that in person with managers.
- Korean focused coworking space: Despite having English speaking stuff, Micimpact’s webpage is all in the Korean language. You would also have to have in mind that events there are also held in the Korean language.
Final note:
Located in the heart of the Korean business, Micimpact studio is a great coworking space for those who are getting ready to launch themselves into the dynamic environment of the Gangnam area. It has all the features you need for coworking space. You also feel a has a strong sense of community, that makes you want to come back and share a coffee with inspiring people.
andCards will continue to review the top coworking spaces in Seoul.
Webpage: http://studio.micimpactsquare.com/
Working Hours: Weekdays 08:00-23:00; Weekend 09:00 – 21:00;
Location: 790-6 Yeoksam 1(il)-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
