South Korean Cafe Culture Told by an American Exchange Student
I spent the last five months studying abroad in South Korea, and the difference that stuck out to me most while I was there, and especially now that I have returned to the United States, is Korea’s cafe culture.
Have you ever been to a cafe with raccoons — on purpose? South Korea is home to over 100,000 cafes despite the country being only slightly smaller than the state of Kentucky. Although the USA is almost 99 times larger than South Korea, it contains less than 75,000 cafes. The small country also boasts countless unique themed and activity-based cafes that attract visitors from all over the world. In Sinchon, a neighborhood in Seoul, one can find a ragdoll cat cafe, an archery cafe, and many more exciting spots in only a matter of a few blocks, all while being minutes from a historic and prestigious Women’s University. There are quite literally endless cafes to visit–one of my favorites being a sheep cafe in Hongdae–and that doesn’t even count all the pop-up cafes for events that exist for a limited time only! One could spend years in Korea for the sole purpose of visiting every cafe in the country and still not scratch the surface.
Nate, the owner of the blog “Goseong Guy”, discusses the differences between Korean versus American cafes and restaurants in an article on his blog. Describing the purpose of Korean cafes, he says:
“This is why a café is like an extension of home in many ways. Cafes fulfill needs that their homes struggle to fulfill: privacy, study space, dating and chatting space, interaction with pets (animal-themed cafés), etc.”
The majority of my time in South Korea was spent in Gwangju, a large city in the southwest corner of the country. Although not as densely packed as Seoul is, it has its fair share of interesting and pleasant cafes as well. On an average day, I would make at least two visits to cafes. A lot of my day would be spent studying at a quiet cafe where I could do hours of work on my laptop without judgment, even if I only bought a singular caramel macchiato.
This is something I deeply appreciate about the country’s cafe culture; places to get work done distraction-free were abundant and accessible. There were 3 ideal cafes for studying on the road next to my dorm building alone, and that doesn’t include the multiple cafes in the dorm building either. Aside from the cafe I regularly studied at, I also visited a small cafe close to my dorm almost daily. This cafe wasn’t suitable for studying, but it had great milk tea, fresh macarons, and a friendly owner, so I found myself coming back over and over. That’s another great thing about the cafe culture in South Korea! Sure, there are many chain cafes with a multitude of locations all over the country, but there are also a lot of small-business cafes that are locally owned, many by young entrepreneurs. I often opted to go to the smaller cafes than the chain ones, especially since small cafe owners tend to be very kind and give out freebies–or “service” as they call it there–on occasion for regulars!
Buying coffee every day in South Korea is surprisingly not cost-prohibitive. Of course, what someone considers to be cost-prohibitive is all relative, but for me, my daily order of Earl Grey Milk Tea and a strawberry macaron came out to 5,000 won, approximately $3.75, which I feel isn’t bad at all for the amount and quality of what I got. Comparing that to prices in the United States where more and more it feels as though you can’t buy a drink for less than $5, I found the prices in South Korea to be very reasonable. However, buying coffee, especially daily, is a luxury. Understandably, many people forgo it altogether, opting to make their coffee at home or just drink more water. I tend to be one of those people, which is all the more reason that I enjoyed the luxury in South Korea that I miss today.
Perhaps what I miss most about the Korean cafe culture, besides the actual coffee, is the space for meeting and spending time with friends that it created. Third places–if you don’t already know–are locations that facilitate social interaction outside of the people you live or work with and encourage “public relaxation.” They are places where you encounter “regulars,” or frequenters of a space, as well as potential new connections. (This term coined by Ray Oldenburg in 1989–thanks!) Third places are known to foster community and public well-being.
“Third places are not just good for us as individuals,” says Emily McGowan from The Good Trade, “they add vibrancy to our communities, too.” She continues, “These locations are like the telephone poles covered in posters for shows, sales, and lost pets; we go to them to learn about what’s happening in our neighborhood. These are the people we vote, shop, and even protest with when it comes to significant community events.”
Many cafes in South Korea are a perfect example of that. My time in cafes, when not dedicated to studying or working on personal projects, was often spent chatting with friends and making valuable connections. Although I seldom had new or “fateful” encounters, I was able to nurture the friendships I already had because of the space and atmosphere of the cafes visited together, growing relationships beyond “classmates” or “peers”.
I didn’t feel the extent of the cultural differences until I returned to the US. Since coming back, I have not visited a single cafe. Setting the price being almost double what I would’ve paid in Korea aside, I haven’t found any appropriate locations where I can sit for a few hours and study or unique locations that I haven’t already seen before. Perhaps the biggest disappointment when it comes to American cafes is the lack of excitement they invoke, especially since it’s more convenient to just go to a drive-through if the drink itself is the goal.
The unique themes, affordable prices, relaxed atmospheres, and opportunities to connect with others at the cafes in South Korea made me fall in love with the cafe culture there. Of course, my opinion on the matter is not the end-all-be-all. Go to Korea and see for yourself!
