On the Desk: Summer 'Heat Escape' Cooling Items

Esthederm 'Mist', Aldip 'Herb Tea', Asobu 'Mug Cup', Onan Korea 'Fan'

(From left) Est?derm ‘City Protector Mist’, Onan Korea ‘Lumena FAN STAND 3rd Generation Portable Fan’, Asobu ‘Infinity Mug’, Aldip Blending Tea ‘Space Oddity’, ‘Day Tea’, ‘Night Tea’

[Culture & Life Section Reporter Jeonghwa Choi] After the seemingly endless rainy season that felt like the sky had a hole, the intense heatwave has finally begun. Wearing a mask makes it hard to breathe. Escaping this stifling space and situation to sit in my own studio or office space brings a sigh of relief. Then, following my routine, I turn on, spray, wipe, and drink to start the day. This summer, which feels suffocating in many ways, sometimes taking a break and sometimes boosting work efficiency, let's explore some cool healing items for the desk.

Desk Air Conditioner, ‘Mini Fan’

Onan Korea ‘Lumena FAN STAND 3rd Generation Portable Fan’ Warm White/Navy/Neo Mint

The first thing to do when sitting at the desk is to turn on the ‘mini fan.’ It cools the heat with a gentle yet powerful breeze. It is small but strong, smart, and even has manners (ultra-quiet). This is a circulator-type desktop fan. It produces almost no noise, has 4-speed wind control, strong wind, rotation, rechargeable battery, timer settings, freely adjustable head, and it’s even pretty! Onan Korea ‘Lumena FAN STAND 3rd Generation Portable Fan’ Warm White/Navy/Neo Mint

Morning Dew on the Desk, ‘Radiance Mist’

Esthederm 'City Protect Mist'

To cool the skin heated by the heat, spray the gold mist refreshingly. Although the outside of the skin is humid, the inside is dry. Especially in weather like this, pores expand and skin temperature rises. Spraying a cooling mist at this time gives the illusion of walking through a fresh forest. Esthederm’s bestseller ‘Gold Mist,’ also known as ‘Radiance Mist,’ has a micro-emulsion texture that sprays softly to create radiant, glowing skin. This radiance mist contains cellular water made by the 40-year-old French esthetic brand Esthederm and is sprayed frequently to maintain healthy skin condition all day long. Esthederm ‘City Protect Mist’ 100ml

Zero Waste on the Desk, ‘Cork Mug Cup’

Asobu 'Infinity Mug' 490ml Black/White

These days, practicing zero waste, I quickly wash my mug cup to drink morning tea. Did you know that not only plastic but also paper cups are major culprits of environmental pollution? Paper cups are coated with polyethylene to prevent leaks, making recycling difficult. Moreover, disposable paper cups produce massive amounts of waste, so there are plenty of reasons not to use them. I found a vintage mug cup that compensates for the inconvenience of narrow and long tumblers that are hard to clean, heavy ceramic or glass cups that are fragile, and stainless steel cups that taste metallic. Introducing the Infinity Mug Cup, which mixes double-wall stainless steel and ceramic coating with German cork, making it light, quiet, and spacious. It does not form water droplets due to ice, and the surface does not get hot even with hot water inside. It is easy to clean even after leaving coffee or tea for a long time, and the cork bottom, which also functions as a coaster, prevents slipping and noise. The cork from German HEXPOL TPE is an eco-friendly material harvested only from the bark of 200-year-old oak trees about 20 times. Asobu ‘Infinity Mug’ 490ml Black/White

Natural Herbs on the Desk, ‘Caffeine-Free Blending Tea’

Aldif 'Space Oddity', 'Daytime Tea', 'Nighttime Tea'

Now it’s time to drink warm tea that relaxes body and mind in the freshly cleaned eco-friendly ‘Asobu Mug.’ Although I usually enjoy morning coffee, recently I have been trying to develop a habit of drinking morning tea for health. I chose the classic ‘Aldip Tea Box,’ which uses only high-quality uncrushed tea leaves and goes through a delicate blending process. ‘Space Oddity,’ as blue as the East Sea, has a fantastic color and a refreshing sweet aroma of raspberry and pineapple that envelops the mouth and relaxes the senses. It is a caffeine-free tea blended with natural herbs, good to drink on an empty stomach or instead of water. Also, on sensitive days due to menstrual pain and PMS (premenstrual syndrome), try drinking the fruit-blended caffeine-free ‘Day Tea’ and ‘Night Tea’ instead of water. ‘Day Tea’ blends hibiscus and chamomile to relieve inflammation and restore energy. ‘Night Tea’ combines burdock and cinnamon to help recover from fatigue and improve blood circulation, offering a calm night. Aldip Blending Tea ‘Space Oddity’ 1BOX (10T), ‘Day Tea,’ ‘Night Tea’ 1BOX (5T)

And, Travel-Feeling Cafe ‘The Monologue House’

Travel Library Cafe 'The Monologue House' (Hannam-dong)

When the scorching heat and daily life become exhausting, I visited a quiet cafe in Huam-dong. ‘The Monologue House,’ transformed from the owner’s workspace into a cafe, is a lifestyle cafe located in a quiet residential area of Namsan Huam-dong. It is also a travel library space that captures the emotions of cities loved by the owner: London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo. It’s nice to take a break from the repetitive daily routine at this exotic and beautiful duplex cafe ‘The Monologue House.’

Haebangchon Sentimental Travel Cafe 'The Monologue House'

General Director = Reporter Jeonghwa Choi

Photo Planning = Reporter Heeyoung Kim

Photography = Guest Reporter Jeongjun Seo

Location = The Monologue House

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.