"Nowhere Else in Asia Like Korea"—What’s Giving Foreign Tourists 'Seoul Fever'?

Cafe Numbers Up 111% in Seven Years
Rare Beans and Charcoal Roasting Capture Tourists' Attention

With the rapid increase in the number of cafes in Seoul resulting in heightened competition, small-scale roasteries that differentiate themselves with rare beans and charcoal roasting are attracting the attention of foreign tourists.

Foreign tourists visiting Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul, are holding cool drinks in their hands. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

On September 5 (local time), the U.S. business magazine Forbes published an article titled "Coffee Culture in Seoul Discovered by Tourists: Nowhere Else in Asia Is Like This." The article highlighted Korea's unique coffee culture, noting that in Seoul, where countless cafes are clustered together, distinctive roasteries are offering differentiated coffee.

Lee Cheol-won, who runs the roastery "Deep Blue Lake" in Mapo-gu, Seoul, explained that coffee in Korea is considered a kind of energy drink. People drink it to stay awake, use cafes to spend time with friends, and find that it is less expensive than drinking alcohol.

Lee removes foreign substances from green beans, roasts them personally, and measures the color of the finished beans. After brewing the coffee, he checks the flavor at intervals of 10, 20, and 40 minutes, observing whether its taste is maintained as it cools. Forbes reported that "small-scale roasteries like Deep Blue Lake are playing a role in introducing Seoul’s coffee culture."

The number of cafes in Korea has indeed increased rapidly. According to the National Tax Service, as of the first quarter of 2025, there were 95,337 registered coffee and beverage shops in the country, up from 45,203 at the beginning of 2018—a 111% increase in seven years. That equates to about one cafe per 540 people.

As the cafe market has grown, consumer patterns have also diversified. On one hand, affordable coffee has become popular. Chains such as Mega Coffee and Compose Coffee sell Americanos for 1,500 to 2,000 won, and it has become common to see students staying in cafes to study or pass the time.

On the other hand, the specialty coffee market has grown, with shops specializing in beans produced in Kenya, Ethiopia, Honduras, and other countries. Forbes noted that these small-scale roasteries are becoming places where customers enjoy the taste and character of coffee itself, rather than simply spaces to stay.

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However, the growth of the coffee market is not endless. The number of registered coffee and beverage shops in Korea peaked at 96,080 in early 2024, after which growth has slowed. Intense competition in the low-priced coffee sector is also putting pressure on profit margins for businesses.

As a result, small-scale roasteries in Seoul are focusing on differentiation. Some use rare beans or insist on charcoal roasting, while others combine beans from specific origins with unique store atmospheres.

Forbes evaluated that "in a market where anyone can sell an inexpensive iced Americano, creating unique coffee has become a survival strategy," adding that this kind of differentiation is turning some stores into must-visit spots for tourists.

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