Starbucks The Buckhangang R (Korean name: 스타벅스 더북한강R) in Namyangju, Gyeonggi is Korea’s first pet-friendly Starbucks — a Reserve store on the Bukhan River bank, opened January 7, 2022, open all year-round.
Key facts — As of 2026-10-02
- Per the Korea Tourism Organization listing (checked 2026-10-03), Starbucks The Buckhangang R runs 09:00-20:00 on weekdays and public holidays and 08:00-20:00 on weekends, open all year-round.
- Per the KTO listing, the store is Korea’s first pet-friendly Starbucks, with an outdoor pet park of about 100 pyeong (approx. 330 m²) on the 1st floor.
- Per opening coverage from January 2022, the 4-floor store has about 300 seats and about 90 parking spaces, and became a Namyangju hot spot within a month of opening.
- Per the KTO listing, parking is free on weekdays; on weekends and holidays the first 30 minutes are free, then 500 won per 10 minutes, with 1 hour free per 10,000 won purchase up to 4 hours a day.
What Is Starbucks The Buckhangang R and Where Is It?
| Hours | Weekdays and public holidays 09:00-20:00; weekends 08:00-20:00 |
|---|---|
| Closed days | Open all year-round |
| Address | 1098 Bukhangang-ro, Hwado-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do |
| Phone | +82-31-592-4047 |
| Parking | About 90 spaces; 3 EV chargers; bike spots for about 30 |
| Signature order | Reserve Americano (레저브 아메리카노) |
It is a flagship Starbucks Reserve store on the bank of the Bukhan River in Hwado-eup, Namyangju — Gyeonggi-do, northeast of Seoul.
Per the Korea Tourism Organization listing (checked October 3, 2026), the full address is 1098 Bukhangang-ro, Hwado-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, and the phone number is +82-31-592-4047.
The building opened on January 7, 2022, so it has been open for about 4 years and 9 months.
It has 4 floors and about 300 seats, in a box-shaped building cut on a diagonal so the large windows frame the river.
The design is by Cho Byung-soo, an architect with multiple Korean architecture awards to his name.
If you want a riverside seat with a view, head for the upper floors with the big windows; the river view is the reason this store gets listed as a day-trip destination at all.
Is It Really Pet-Friendly — What Do Dogs Get?
Yes — per the KTO listing, this is Korea’s first Starbucks with a dedicated pet zone, an outdoor pet park of about 100 pyeong (approx.
330 m²) on the 1st floor.
The park area also has a photo booth, and there is a rooftop photo zone with the Bukhan River as the backdrop.
At opening the store sold 12 exclusive merchandise items, including a pet ‘Family Bag Set’ and ‘Family Bowl Set’, limited to 5 per person per item.
Proceeds from those pet sets were earmarked for a fund of up to 100 million won supporting animal-rights campaigns and abandoned-animal programs with the Korean Alliance for Freedom.
Current pet-park rules — leash requirements, capacity limits — could not be confirmed from any source, so check the posted rules at the park on the day.
If bringing your dog is the point of the trip, this is the Starbucks to pick; no other Korean store has a space like it.
What Should You Order There?
The listed signature drink is the Reserve Americano — in Korean, 레저브 아메리카노, easy to point at on the menu board.
The 2nd floor operates as a Reserve floor with exclusive Reserve drinks, and bread is baked in-store there.
Per a February 2022 report, that 2F Reserve floor was busier than the 1st floor’s regular menu despite higher prices, because of the fresh-baked bakery.
Ordering works like this: the 1st floor is order and take-out only with no seating, and you carry your drinks up to seats on floors 2 through 4.
Current menu prices could not be confirmed from any source, so budget from the Starbucks app or the price board in store.
If you care about coffee more than the view, the 2F Reserve floor is where to sit.
Hours and Closing Day
Per the Korea Tourism Organization listing (checked October 3, 2026), Starbucks The Buckhangang R runs 09:00-20:00 on weekdays and public holidays and 08:00-20:00 on weekends, open all year-round.
One other source notes seasonal weekday variation, with weekday hours listed as 09:00-19:00 in that version.
The KTO listing is the baseline used here, because it is the only current official source.
There is no closing day to plan around — the store does not take a regular day off.
If you can only go on a weekend, go at the 08:00 opening or before lunch; opening-era reports show weekend seats filling after lunchtime.
How Does Parking Work and How Much Is It?
The lot holds about 90 car spaces, with 3 EV charging stations installed with Mercedes-Benz Korea and dedicated spots for about 30 bicycles and motorbikes.
Per the KTO listing, parking is free on weekdays; on weekends and holidays the first 30 minutes are free, then 500 won per 10 minutes, with 1 hour free per 10,000 won purchase up to 4 hours a day.
A visitor article reports paid parking with purchase discounts, and the current weekday policy could not be confirmed from a source within 6 months — confirm at the gate on site.
On the first weekends after opening, parking-lot entry waits exceeded 20 minutes and the lot filled completely even with paid parking.
| Rule | Weekday | Weekend / Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Free period | Free (per KTO listing; confirm on site) | First 30 minutes free |
| After free period | — | 500 won per 10 minutes |
| Purchase discount | 1 hour free per 10,000 won purchase | 1 hour free per 10,000 won purchase |
| Daily discount cap | Max 4 hours | Max 4 hours |
If you arrive by car on a weekday morning, plan for free parking; if you arrive on a weekend, expect the 500-won-per-10-minutes rule and queues after lunch.
How Do You Get There from Seoul?
The store sits on a riverside drive and cycling route in Hwado-eup, Namyangju, so the practical way in is by car or bike — set your navigation to 1098 Bukhangang-ro, Hwado-eup, Namyangju-si, or call +82-31-592-4047.
No subway or bus route was found in the KTO listing or any reliable source, so do not count on transit until you check a route planner yourself.
The koreankorea.com Seoul-metro route planner page is linked here for that check, along with the Gyeonggi travel map for what else pairs with the drive.
If you are already cycling the Bukhan River path, the bike parking for about 30 bicycles and motorbikes is set up for exactly that.
If you have no car, pair this stop with a day-trip route that includes a car leg — the riverside location is the trip, not a subway stop.
If I were going, I’d pick a weekday morning right at opening (09:00) — parking is free on weekdays, the 300 seats and river view are emptiest before lunch, and you skip the weekend 20-minute entry queues.
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Sources
- KTO listing: address, hours, parking fee, pet zone, Reserve (english.visitkorea.or.kr)
- Opening release: Jan 7 2022, 4F 300 seats, 100-pyeong pet pa (shinsegaegroupnewsroom.com)
- Teavana-inspired, no core beverages, Phantom espresso machin (en.namu.wiki)
Summary: Who This Store Is For and When to Go
- Dog owners: go for the pet park — about 100 pyeong (approx. 330 m²) on the 1st floor, the only one of its kind at a Korean Starbucks.
- Coffee-first visitors: order the Reserve Americano and sit on the 2F Reserve floor, where bread is baked in-store.
- Weekend visitors: arrive at the 08:00 opening or before lunch; opening-era reports show 300 seats and the parking lot filling after lunchtime.
- Weekday drivers: parking is listed as free on weekdays, but a visitor article reports paid parking — check at the gate.
- Transit-only travelers: no subway or bus route was confirmed; plan a drive or check a route planner before committing.
FAQ
Q. What is Starbucks The Buckhangang R in Gyeonggi known for?
It is known as Korea’s first pet-friendly Starbucks — a Reserve store on the Bukhan River bank in Namyangju with an outdoor pet park of about 100 pyeong (approx. 330 m²) on the 1st floor.
Q. What should I order at Starbucks The Buckhangang R?
The listed signature is the Reserve Americano; the 2nd floor has exclusive Reserve drinks and bread baked in-store. Current prices are not confirmed from any source.
Q. What are the hours and does it ever close?
Weekdays and public holidays 09:00-20:00, weekends 08:00-20:00, open all year-round, per the KTO listing checked October 3, 2026.
Q. How does parking work at Starbucks The Buckhangang R?
About 90 spaces. Per the KTO listing, free on weekdays; weekends and holidays: first 30 minutes free, then 500 won per 10 minutes, with 1 hour free per 10,000 won purchase up to 4 hours a day. Confirm on site.
Q. How do I get there from Seoul?
Navigate by car to 1098 Bukhangang-ro, Hwado-eup, Namyangju-si. No subway or bus route was confirmed in any source, so check a route planner before relying on transit.
Planning the drive? Pair this stop with more Gyeonggi day trips from Seoul.
Cover photo: AI-generated illustration (starbucks riverside) — AI-generated image, illustrative only
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