Trends

Where to Try Smoothies in Korea: Twelve Wonder Bar in Cheongdam and CU's Real Smoothie

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AI-generated pink berry smoothie and banana on a kitchen table, with thin white doodles and a handwritten note.

AT A GLANCE

Department store
Twelve Wonder Bar, basement food area, House of Shinsegae Cheongdam (about 40 smoothies and juices at opening)
Convenience store
CU Real Smoothie at selected branches; frozen-fruit cup and machine, about a minute
CU price
₩3,500 each for the two new flavors in the July 30, 2026 release
CU scale
More than 500,000 cumulative sales; target of about 500 locations by year-end (company-reported)

Smoothies are back in Korea in two very different forms: a department-store smoothie bar in Cheongdam and self-serve machines at CU convenience stores. This guide explains where to find each, what was announced and what to check before you buy. Checked on 2026-10-12.

The hero image is AI-generated and is not a photo of a drink from any business mentioned here.

Twelve Wonder Bar, Cheongdam

Twelve Wonder Bar is in the basement food area of House of Shinsegae Cheongdam. Cheongdam is a neighborhood in southern Seoul, and Shinsegae is a Korean department-store company. The opening announcement described roughly 40 smoothies and pressed juices, with ingredients such as ginseng, kale, maca and hemp seeds. That describes the launch range, not today’s menu (Shinsegae opening announcement; store page). Check the current menu, prices and hours before you go.

CU Real Smoothie

CU, one of Korea’s convenience-store chains, offers Real Smoothie at selected branches. Customers use a frozen-fruit cup and a dedicated machine, and the company says preparation takes about a minute.

In its July 30, 2026 announcement, CU reported more than 500,000 cumulative sales and a plan to reach about 500 locations by year-end. Those are a reported total and a target, not a live count. The two new flavors in that release cost ₩3,500 each, so “every smoothie costs ₩3,000” would be wrong (CU announcement). Not every CU has the machine, so check the branch and the price on the cup.

An overseas example

Erewhon, a California grocery business known for its smoothies, is often cited. Its earlier strawberry smoothie collaboration with Hailey Bieber is documented by ingredient partner Vital Proteins (recipe page). This is an example of celebrity marketing, not evidence of health benefits.

What to check on the label

  • A high price or a green color does not tell you what is in a drink. Look at the ingredients and serving size.
  • “Wellness” is a marketing word, not a promise.
  • Adding yogurt does not automatically make a smoothie a complete meal.
  • If you make smoothies at home, a simple start is frozen banana with plain Greek yogurt and milk or soy milk. Adjust to your taste and dietary needs.

Good for / not for

Good for

  • Visitors who want to try a Korean department-store drink or a convenience-store machine
  • Anyone who likes a cold, sweet drink

Not for

  • Anyone who needs health claims. Neither business promises any benefit in the sources I checked.

FAQ

How much is a CU smoothie? The two new flavors in the July 30 release cost ₩3,500 each. Check the cup for other flavors.

Does every CU have the machine? No. It is at selected branches.

Is the Twelve Wonder Bar menu the same as at opening? Not necessarily. Check the current menu.

Sources

Checked on 2026-10-12. Menu prices, stock and participating branches can change.