Tradition isn't everything: Foreign nationals say cafes are most Korean places of all

Foreign visitors identify Korea’s cafe culture as a vivid representation of the country today. Cafes serve as places to meet, study, work, socialize and experience distinctive interiors, music and food, while destinations such as hanok cafes and bookstore cafes have become attractions. Although coffee beans are imported, Korea has developed its own cafe culture by reshaping the spaces and overall experience. Cafes therefore reveal contemporary Korean daily life alongside traditional heritage.

Foreign visitors are drawn to cafes in Seongsu, Cheongdam and Ikseon-dong because the neighborhoods attract different people and have distinct atmospheres.

Korean cafe destinations include forest cafes near Seoul, cafes converted from hanok houses, bookstore and gallery cafes, and venues housed in renovated old breweries.

Cafes have evolved into travel destinations where people spend time for the atmosphere and experience rather than simply to drink coffee.

Traditional symbols commonly associated with Korea include kimchi, hanbok and royal palaces, while cafes show how Koreans currently work, relax, socialize and spend their time.

Published Oct 18, 2026 12:10 am KST

Gaeseong juak and coffee are served at Hoyanghorim cafe in Yangnim-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, South Jeolla Province. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

Not long ago, I asked Conrad, a British participant on a food tour, what he considered the most quintessentially British food. I expected him to name the famous fish and chips or a full English breakfast spread. But without hesitation, he answered, “curry.”

Seeing my puzzled expression, he smiled and explained. While Britain has its traditional signature dishes, curry is one of the foods Britons eat most frequently today.

That got me wondering: What food or food culture best represents Korea today? When I posed the same question to Conrad, his unexpected answer was “coffee and cafe culture.” The other participants on the tour nodded in agreement.

When I take foreign visitors on food tours, I often hear the same questions: “Why are there so many cafes in Korea?” and “Why are cafes still so crowded late in the afternoon?” I could explain that Koreans simply love coffee. But a look at Seoul's cafes suggests there is more to it than that. Cafes line nearly every alley, stay lit late into the night and draw long queues outside popular spots on weekends. This is less a matter of coffee consumption than a cultural phenomenon.

Interestingly, what catches foreign nationals' attention is not coffee itself, but the cafe as a space. In Korea, a cafe is more than a place to grab a drink. People meet friends, hold meetings, study, read books and work on their laptops there. Some spend time alone, while others talk with friends for hours.

Momos Coffee Roastery & Coffee Bar in Yeongdo, Busan, is known for its harbor views and aromatic coffee. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

The distinctive features of Korean cafe culture do not end there. Cafes are also a form of tourist attraction for Koreans themselves. Just as travelers seek out famous landmarks, many people make trips to discover new cafes. On weekends, they head to forest cafes on the outskirts of Seoul, visit cafes converted from traditional hanok houses or seek out spaces that combine bookstores or galleries with coffee shops.

Recently, cafes reimagining traditional herbal medicine shops and those housed in renovated old breweries have also gained popularity. Some travelers even seek out famous cafes before visiting local attractions. They believe cafes offer a window into a neighborhood's atmosphere, tastes and way of life.

People are willing to travel and invest their time not simply for a cup of coffee, but for the experience a particular space offers. Each cafe creates its own atmosphere and story through distinctive interiors, lighting and music. In Korea, cafes have thus evolved beyond places that sell beverages into destinations and experiences in their own right.

Come to think of it, this, too, is distinctly Korean. Korea is not a major coffee-producing country, and most of its coffee beans are imported. Yet the reason foreigners are drawn to Korean cafe culture goes beyond the taste of the coffee.

Korea excels at quickly embracing cultures from abroad and reinterpreting them in its own way. Coffee is no exception. While the beans are imported, the spaces, service, desserts and overall experience are reinvented in a Korean style. In a sense, Korea imported coffee but created its own cafe culture.

Perhaps that is why foreign nationals identify cafes as places where they can best understand Korea. At royal palaces, they encounter the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty era; at traditional markets, they catch a glimpse of everyday Korean life and customs. But in cafes, they can see how Koreans today work, relax, socialize, consume and spend their time.

When we think of what represents Korea, we tend to picture kimchi, hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and royal palaces. These are undoubtedly important parts of Korean culture. But the Korea foreigners encounter is not necessarily a country defined only by its past. The Korea of today may be more vividly revealed in its cafes.

Mulheureudeut, a cafe in Gwangju / Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

K-pop and Korean dramas can be experienced abroad. But the everyday lives of Koreans unfolding in cafes can only truly be experienced by visiting Korea.

“Cafes are more interesting than royal palaces because you can see how Koreans live their everyday lives. Cafes in Seongsu, Cheongdam and Ikseon-dong have different atmospheres and attract different kinds of people, so it's fun just to look around," said Sarah, a visitor from Hong Kong.

If tangible cultural heritage reveals Korea's past, cafes reveal its present. Tourism is not just about looking at the past; it is also about understanding the present. Someday, when people look back on Korea in the 2020s, they may remember the time they spent in cafes, alongside royal palaces and hanbok, as one of the defining scenes of the country.

This column by O'ngo Food Communications CEO Choi Ji-a was originally published by the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, and translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

外国游客普遍认为韩国的咖啡馆文化是当代韩国社会的生动写照。咖啡馆不仅是人们相聚、学习、工作和社交的场所，更是体验独特装潢、音乐和美食的理想之地。韩屋咖啡馆和书店咖啡馆等特色场所也成为了热门景点。尽管咖啡豆依赖进口，韩国通过改造咖啡馆的空间和整体体验，发展出了独具特色的咖啡馆文化。因此，咖啡馆既展现了韩国当代的日常生活，也体现了其传统的文化底蕴。

外国游客喜欢去圣水、清潭洞和益善洞的咖啡馆，因为这些街区吸引了不同的人群，有着不同的氛围。

韩国的咖啡馆目的地包括首尔附近的森林咖啡馆、由韩屋改建的咖啡馆、书店和画廊咖啡馆，以及位于翻新的旧啤酒厂内的场所。

咖啡馆已经发展成为旅游目的地，人们花时间去感受那里的氛围和体验，而不仅仅是为了喝咖啡。

与韩国相关的传统象征包括泡菜、韩服和皇宫，而咖啡馆则展现了韩国人目前的工作、放松、社交和消磨时间的方式。

发布于2026年10月18日凌晨12:10（韩国标准时间）

在全罗南道光州市南区阳林洞的Hoyanghorim咖啡馆，人们正在享用开城酒和咖啡。（韩国时报 李汉浩 摄）

不久前，我问参加美食之旅的英国人康拉德，他认为最具代表性的英国食物是什么。我以为他会说是著名的炸鱼薯条或者丰盛的英式早餐。但他毫不犹豫地回答说：“咖喱。”

看到我疑惑的表情，他笑着解释道。虽然英国有其传统的特色菜肴，但咖喱是如今英国人最常吃的食物之一。

这让我不禁思考：如今最能代表韩国的食物或饮食文化是什么？当我向康拉德提出同样的问题时，他出乎意料的回答是“咖啡和咖啡馆文化”。同行的其他游客也纷纷点头表示赞同。

当我带外国游客参加美食之旅时，经常会听到同样的问题：“为什么韩国有这么多咖啡馆？”以及“为什么下午咖啡馆还那么拥挤？”我可以解释说，韩国人就是喜欢咖啡。但看看首尔的咖啡馆，就会发现其中的奥妙远不止于此。几乎每条小巷都遍布咖啡馆，灯火通明到深夜，周末热门咖啡馆门前总是排着长队。这与其说是咖啡消费量的问题，不如说是一种文化现象。

有趣的是，吸引外国人的并非咖啡本身，而是咖啡馆这个空间。在韩国，咖啡馆不仅仅是喝饮料的地方。人们在那里会见朋友、开会、学习、读书、用笔记本电脑工作。有些人独自一人消磨时光，而有些人则与朋友畅聊数小时。

位于釜山影岛的Momos咖啡烘焙坊及咖啡吧以其迷人的海港景色和香醇的咖啡而闻名。（韩国时报 李汉浩 摄）

韩国咖啡馆文化的独特之处远不止于此。咖啡馆本身也是韩国人的一种旅游胜地。正如游客会探寻著名景点一样，许多人也会专程前往探索新的咖啡馆。周末，他们会前往首尔郊区的森林咖啡馆，探访由传统韩屋改建而成的咖啡馆，或者寻找那些将书店或画廊与咖啡馆相结合的场所。

近年来，由传统草药店改造而成的咖啡馆和由旧酿酒厂改建而成的咖啡馆也越来越受欢迎。一些旅行者甚至会在游览当地景点之前先去寻找当地的知名咖啡馆。他们认为咖啡馆是了解一个街区氛围、口味和生活方式的一扇窗口。

人们愿意花费时间和精力去旅行，不仅仅是为了喝杯咖啡，更是为了体验特定空间所提供的独特感受。每家咖啡馆都通过别具一格的室内设计、灯光和音乐，营造出属于自己的氛围和故事。在韩国，咖啡馆已经超越了单纯的饮品销售场所，发展成为本身就是一种目的地和体验。

仔细想想，这其实也很有韩国特色。韩国并非咖啡生产大国，其咖啡豆大多依赖进口。然而，外国人被韩国咖啡馆文化吸引的原因远不止咖啡的味道。

韩国擅长迅速吸收外来文化，并以自己的方式重新诠释。咖啡也不例外。虽然咖啡豆是进口的，但咖啡馆的装潢、服务、甜点以及整体体验都融入了韩国特色。从某种意义上说，韩国引进了咖啡，却创造了属于自己的咖啡馆文化。

或许正因如此，外国人才会认为咖啡馆是了解韩国的最佳场所。在皇宫里，他们仿佛置身于1392年至1910年的朝鲜王朝时代；在传统市场里，他们得以窥见韩国人的日常生活和习俗；而在咖啡馆里，他们则能看到现代韩国人如何工作、放松、社交、消费和消磨时光。

提到韩国，我们往往会想到泡菜、韩服（韩国传统服饰）和皇宫。这些无疑是韩国文化的重要组成部分。但外国人眼中的韩国，并非仅仅是一个被历史所定义的国家。或许，在韩国的咖啡馆里，更能生动地展现出当代韩国的风貌。

Mulheureudeut，光州的一家咖啡馆/《韩国时报》 摄影：Lee Han-ho

韩流音乐和韩剧在国外也能体验到，但韩国人在咖啡馆里上演的日常生活，只有亲身到访韩国才能真正感受到。

“咖啡馆比皇宫更有趣，因为你可以看到韩国人是如何过日常生活的。圣水、清潭洞和益善洞的咖啡馆氛围各不相同，吸引着不同类型的人，所以四处逛逛也很有趣，”来自香港的游客莎拉说道。

如果说有形文化遗产展现了韩国的过去，那么咖啡馆则展现了它的现在。旅游不仅仅是回顾过去，更在于理解现在。或许有一天，当人们在2020年代回望韩国时，会将咖啡馆的时光，与皇宫和韩服的场景并列，视为韩国最具代表性的画面之一。

本文由 O'ngo Food Communications 首席执行官崔智雅撰写，最初发表于《韩国日报》（韩国时报的姊妹报），由人工智能生成系统翻译，并由《韩国时报》编辑。