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Korean demand for coffee has steadily increased since the drink debuted in the country in the late 19th century. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation, the average Korean consumes 428 cups of coffee a year. Habitual drinking triggered by hectic lifestyles and the multi-purpose utilization of coffee shops are regarded as the major causes of Korea’s ever-growing love of the coffee bean. The domestic market is continuing to expand as consumers search for more diversified and specialized flavors. Yet when, where, and how did the Korean love of coffee make its humble beginnings?

Was Emperor Gojong the First Korean Coffee Lover?

Emperor Gojong is one name inextricably linked to the history of coffee in Korea. He is known to have first tasted coffee, called gabi-cha at the time, at the Russian Legation in Seoul in 1896 while taking refuge from the Japanese aggressors. However, there are records that show coffee drinking predates Emperor Gojong. Percival Lowell, the American counselor for the special Korean diplomatic mission to the United States, wrote in his book entitled Chosön, the Land of the Morning Calm that he was given the “latest nouveaute” in January 1884. That was 12 years before Gojong enjoyed his first sip of coffee, hinting that the drink was available much earlier than previously thought.

The Emergence of Instant Coffee and Dabang

Dabang, the predecessor of the modern-day coffee shops, began to appear during Japan’s occupation of Korea (1910–1945), becoming more conspicuous in Seoul after Korea’s liberation. In 1950, when the Korean War broke out, American soldiers brought instant coffee into the nation, spurring on the ascent of coffee towards its present-day popularity. Reasonably priced instant coffee began to arrive in Korea in great quantities, and in the 1970s, Maxwell House instant coffee was introduced, as Prima, a powdered coffee creamer, was domestically developed. Served at dabang, Korean-style sweet coffee was born, laying the groundwork for coffee to emerge as one of the most widely loved drinks in Korea. Dabang became popular places for young men and women to meet, where they could listen to the latest pop songs from Korea and abroad.

Coffee in Daily Life

As the importation of coffee was liberalized in the latter half of the 1980s, a variety of beans were imported into the nation, and coffee shops serving non-instant coffee emerged in growing numbers. In 1999, Korea’s first Starbucks opened in front of Ewha Womans University in Seoul, and other major coffee franchises soon followed. These chains helped fuel the growing consumption of high-quality espressos and the fad of take-out coffee, nurturing the emerging culture of enjoying a cup of coffee after a meal. In recent years, however, small individual cafés have been attracting coffee lovers of discerning tastes despite the presence of the industry giants. Boasting unique flavors and roasting techniques together with distinctive interior designs, these independent cafés are taking root not simply as places to grab a cup of coffee but as shelters from the hectic daily grind.
  Now ranked the sixth-largest coffee consumer in the world, Korea has many “café alleys” and “café streets” that house numerous franchised and independent coffee shops. Coffee is no longer a niche commodity enjoyed by a small segment of the population, but has firmly taken its place as an integral part of modern Korean society. The Korean love affair with coffee that began in the 19th century is expected to grow even deeper and more intense in the coming years.

Written by Lee Hwashin