Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen pop-ups hit Hongdae AK Plaza this summer

If you're an anime fan flying into Seoul and want to hit two major pop-ups in one afternoon, AK Plaza in Hongdae is your anchor. The Chainsaw Man café is live through July 19 on the 3rd floor, and the Jujutsu Kaisen pop-up (by MAPPA studio) is running simultaneously — both are walk-in, no booking required, and they're literally minutes apart in the same building.

Getting there: Hongdae Station Exit 4 is steps away. The blogger noted the access is straightforward even for first-time visitors. The building has paid parking if you're arriving by car.

Chainsaw Man Café (3F, through July 19): The space isn't huge, but it's got the character setup from the Osaka location — half café, half merch counter. Menu includes pasta (the tomato pasta references Denji and Makima's date scene), drinks, and each order comes with a random character photocard. The blogger tried the tomato pasta and beam aid; she noted the pasta tastes good early on but gets quite salty toward the end. Table seating is assigned by character — there's a fun pick-your-seat element. Most popular items were sold out by her visit, but smaller goods like the bread-shaped Pochita plush were still in stock. You order at the kiosk and grab a buzzer; service is faster and less handcrafted than the Japan locations, but it's still a solid fan moment.

Jujutsu Kaisen Pop-up (MAPPA collaboration): Upstairs, the Jujutsu Kaisen pop-up is also running but was nearly cleared out by the time the blogger arrived. She came specifically to support MAPPA's animation work on the recent Shibuya Incident arc — she was blown away by how they translated the manga's dense detail into animation. If you're a Jujutsu fan, it's worth the stop even just to see the display and character setups, though stock is extremely limited. Most keychains and acrylic figures were gone.

Timing note: Both pop-ups are deep into their runs, so popular merch is selling fast. The blogger arrived on a day with a visible queue outside (she suspects a Animate event was happening simultaneously). Go early if there's a specific item you want — opening hours are 11AM–10PM weekdays, 10:30AM–10PM weekends.

What to expect: This is a merch + café combo, not a photo zone experience. The appeal is seeing character displays, grabbing a themed drink or snack, and scoring limited goods. It's best suited for fans who want a tactile, in-person connection to the IP rather than an Instagram moment. The blogger is a repeat visitor across Osaka, Busan, and Seoul locations, so the Chainsaw Man café has staying power.

If you're clustering anime pop-ups in Hongdae, this is the main event. Pair it with the smaller goods shops nearby (the blogger mentioned Kokko Goods Shop on the main street) and you've got a solid afternoon. Just don't expect everything to be in stock — come for the vibe and the characters, not the guarantee of a specific haul.