At least 100 espresso bars have opened in the country over the past year, according to industry data. Social media also reflects such a phenomenon with over 142,000 Instagram posts – as of mid-August – showing pictures of small empty cups piled on top of each other with the hashtag “espresso bar” in Korean.
Major food and drink conglomerates have also started capitalising on the trend.
Paik’s Coffee, a low-priced coffee chain run by celebrity chef Paik Jong-won, launched an espresso menu in March, while coffee franchise Pascucci has opened an espresso bar near the company’s headquarters in Seoul. Convenience store GS25, too, started offering espresso for 1,000 won (US 75 cents) in small cups last year.Hong Kong’s cafe bars step up with coffee-infused cocktails
The trend began just a few years ago, according to culture critic and former culture reporter Lim Hee-yun.
“Just a few years ago, Koreans didn’t consume that much espresso. We even joked about how backpackers accidentally ordered shots at a bar in Europe and couldn’t stand its unfamiliar, bitter taste,” Lim says.
Lim explained that Leesar was one of the first espresso bars to open in Seoul in 2012. In 2021, the company opened its second branch and people began to take notice. The affordable price (1,500 won) and sweeter, sugary taste encouraged people to drink multiple cups, starting a trend of sharing pictures of cups stacked up at espresso bars.Koreans – known for preferring things done quickly and cost-effectively, and for their curiosity about foreign cultures – have naturally been drawn to espresso culture in recent years, according to Lim and many espresso bar baristas.
“People are growing more accustomed to short-form content and I think that grew to affect food culture,” Lim says. “At espresso bars, visitors can quickly try many different flavours at relatively lower prices, which can be very attractive to trend-sensitive Koreans.”
Kim Myung-jin, a barista with 14 years of experience who opened Draw Espresso Bar in Seoul, echoes Lim’s view.
“Although Koreans weren’t very familiar with the concept of espresso at the time [in September 2021], we thought it would go well with the bustling lifestyles of Koreans,” Kim says, adding that the city, with its burgeoning speciality coffee shop scene, seemed to quickly embrace the new trend.
Seoul’s espresso bars are special because of the diversity of their menus and locations.
To encourage those less familiar with espresso, Kim and his colleague created a variation on the drink. Their Caffe Lieto (lieto means “delighted” in Italian) features a scoop of ice cream and olive oil, which results in a fresh and tangy flavour.The bar started pairing shots with rice cakes made by a neighbouring mill in the neighbourhood to add a local twist, too, he explains.
Elsewhere, Sorry Espresso Bar offers authentic Portuguese-style espresso with egg tarts, and it has become a must-visit spot. And Molto Italian Espresso Bar, right in front of Myeongdong Cathedral, offers a beautiful view of a historical landmark to enjoy with its Italian-style espresso.Experts say the popularity of espresso is growing and that the trend does not show any sign of dying down any time soon.
“A few years ago, many visitors insisted on having Americano and were hesitant about trying espresso, but that rarely happens now. We feel that the consumer spectrum is growing broader,” Sorry Espresso Bar’s co-owner Simon says.
The culture, he adds, has now become a lifestyle for many of his customers, as a growing number of office workers drop by for a quick sip on their way to work – just like people do in Europe.
“Espresso may never replace people’s much-beloved Americano. However, if someone drinks a cup of coffee every day, that person could now consider having a couple of cups of espresso a week,” Lee says.
“Considering the hip and trendy ambience of espresso bars and price competitiveness they offer with a diverse menu, Koreans’ love for espresso will likely last for a while,” Lim says.
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