Episode 5: The Coffee

It. Is. Everywhere.

 

Despite not being an avid coffee drinker, it is clear the Koreans are. Every street and corner will have at least one coffee shop with varying menus, but what always appears is an iced americano. 

 

Why are there so many? There are actually a couple of reasons for this. Cafes in Seoul serve as an extension and third space – meetings, dates, and hang outs take place in cafes. It also has to do with the culture of Koreans. Simply put, Koreans work a lot. Overtime is incredibly common and having quick and easy access to coffee on the way to work is important to get one through the day.

 

This is quite different from the States, especially if you’re from the suburbs like I am. Although more common in large cities such as New York, cafes normally aren’t so densely populated in such a small area. 

 

I do appreciate how much variety these coffee places have. There will be tea options, juice options, smoothie optiona, ades options, and savory and sweet food options! I even found a place that has 식혜 (sikhye). 

 

식혜 is a traditional sweet Korean rice beverage that is made by fermenting rice with malt. It is incredibly refreshing, sweet, and light with rice grains loosely floating around the bottom. The cloudy white liquid may not seem like much, but it carries so much depth and flavor and is perfect for a hot sunny day. This is by far my favorite drink in South Korea and it is rare for me to pass up the opportunity to get it.

 

My favorite fruit is lychee and I also am happy to find it in these chains of coffee stores. Most notably have been MGC’s Zesty Lychee Tea and Compose’s Salted Cool Lychee. 

 

Like I said before, Seoul tends to have an abundance of the same stores within the same area. This is incredibly convenient as one can always rest assured that they will get their coffee (or in my case lychee) fix wherever they may be!

 

It is really interesting how the work culture in South Korea has influenced spheres outside of its employees. Cafes here have become more than just a place to get coffee, it is a third space that cultivates relationships among coworkers and friends.

The Salted Cool Lychee from Compose Coffee!

 

Until next time 🙂

Linh Duong