Korea's social media brews up new coffee obsession

Korea’s social media has turned a milk-heavy coffee trend called kkosup latte into a viral obsession. The drink is defined by a rich, nutty flavor, and consumers are testing lattes from major chains while sharing DIY ways to make milk taste denser. Major cafes have responded with proprietary dairy-based lattes, and one product sold more than one million units in two weeks.

The trend grew out of frustration with standard iced lattes that lose body and mouthfeel as the ice melts.

Home baristas have shared methods such as freeze-distilling milk and mixing in heavy cream or condensed milk to make drinks richer.

MegaMGC Coffee’s House Milk Latte sold more than one million units within the first two weeks after launch.

Other chains mentioned in the article include Ten Percent Coffee and OozyCoffee, both of which introduced dairy-focused latte products.

Published Sep 28, 2026 12:00 pm KST

Various posts show recipes for creating personalized versions of "kkosup latte," a popular flavor profile emphasizing a rich, savory milk element. Captured from Instagram

In a nation that boasts one of the world's highest per-capita coffee consumption rates and a cafe density that rivals even the most saturated global metropolitan hubs, standing out in Korea's bustling beverage market is no small feat.

Recently, social media posts expressing cravings for unique, milk-forward coffee drinks have sparked a viral trend for "kkosup latte"— a beverage category defined by its intensely rich, almost nutty flavor profile.

Online, netizens are actively testing and comparing different latte offerings from major cafe chains while sharing custom recipes designed to boost milk's richness and make it the star of the show.

What began as a collective online search for a particular experience soon evolved into a broader obsession with milk-based coffee drinks that evoke a deep, satisfying richness with a nutty or savory undertone, drawing on the Korean term "gosuhada" — a word often used to describe foods that have nuts, seeds or beans for the unctuous quality they lend dishes.

While high-profile celebrities like Davichi’s Kang Min-kyung have brought massive visibility to the trend, the precise origin of the trend remains a mystery. Rather than stemming from corporate marketing strategy, the movement seems to have been born entirely from bottom-up consumer demand in a hyper-competitive coffee landscape.

From grassroots experimentation to viral hacks

Unlike beverage crazes launched top-down by multinational corporations, the kkosup latte phenomenon was born out of collective frustration with standard iced lattes that lose body and mouthfeel the moment the ice begins to melt.

In a country a single block may have three to four cafes, consumers have developed discerning palates. To combat thin, diluted lattes, home baristas began sharing DIY latte techniques online, including freeze-distilling milk to reduce water content or mixing in heavy cream or condensed milk.

Davichi’s Kang Min-kyung shows her recipe to make richer milk for lattes in a video. Captured from Kang's YouTube channel (@iammingki)

As the milk hacks gained traction, the movement sparked a viral social media trend where consumers mapped out routes to evaluate neighborhood coffee shops and major chains based purely on their milk's richness.

Custom dairy takes center stage

Recognizing the shift in consumer demand, Korea's coffee industry has responded swiftly by prioritizing custom dairy formulations to stay ahead in a saturated market.

Rather than relying strictly on syrup additions, major chains and boutique cafes alike are now showcasing proprietary dairy bases.

Ten Percent Coffee launched its Signature Latte, focusing on a dense and smooth dairy profile, while OozyCoffee introduced its Deep Cafe Latte, pairing concentrated espresso with deeply nutty milk.

MegaMGC Coffee also debuted its House Milk Latte, using a specially developed dairy blend engineered for extra body. The product sold more than one million units within the first two weeks after its introduction, proving that demand for richer, more savory drinks remains high even as temperatures drop.

Other major franchises have similarly expanded their menus with signature lattes and blends to capture the market for heavier espresso drinks.

A promotional photo for Deep Cafe Latte with signature concentrated milk by Oozy Coffee / Captured from Oozy Coffee's Instagram

Shift in coffee culture

The rise of the kkosup latte highlights a growing shift in how beverage trends develop in Korea, where the market is defined by intense retail competition.

Modern consumers are increasingly setting the standard for taste and texture through social media feedback loops, forcing commercial coffee chains to adapt to their preferences.

For coffee drinkers seeking a departure from sweet syrups or light, brisk brews, the kkosup latte offers a richer, more textured take on the everyday cup of coffee.

韩国社交媒体将一种名为“kkosup latte”（奶咖拿铁）的浓奶咖啡推向了网络热潮。这种饮品以其浓郁的坚果风味而著称，消费者们纷纷试饮各大连锁咖啡店的同款拿铁，同时分享各种让牛奶口感更浓郁的DIY方法。各大咖啡品牌也纷纷推出自家品牌的奶咖拿铁，其中一款产品在短短两周内就售出了超过一百万杯。

这种趋势的出现源于人们对普通冰拿铁的不满，因为冰块融化后，咖啡的口感和质地都会变差。

家庭咖啡师们分享了一些方法，例如冷冻蒸馏牛奶，并加入浓奶油或炼乳，使饮品更加浓郁。

MegaMGC Coffee 的招牌牛奶拿铁在上市后的前两周内销量就超过了一百万杯。

文章中提到的其他连锁店包括 Ten Percent Coffee 和 OozyCoffee，这两家店都推出了以乳制品为主的拿铁产品。

发布于2026年9月28日韩国时间下午12:00

各种帖子展示了如何制作个性化的“kkosup latte”配方，这是一种很受欢迎的口味，强调浓郁的咸香牛奶风味。图片来自Instagram。

韩国是世界上人均咖啡消费量最高的国家之一，咖啡馆密度甚至可以与全球最饱和的大都市相媲美，因此，在韩国蓬勃发展的饮料市场中脱颖而出绝非易事。

最近，社交媒体上出现了许多表达对独特的、以牛奶为主的咖啡饮品渴望的帖子，引发了“kkosup latte”的病毒式传播趋势——这种饮品以其浓郁醇厚、近乎坚果般的风味而著称。

在网络上，网友们正在积极测试和比较各大连锁咖啡店提供的不同拿铁产品，同时分享旨在提升牛奶浓郁度并使其成为主角的自制配方。

最初只是在网上集体寻找某种特定的体验，但很快就演变成对牛奶咖啡饮料的广泛痴迷，这种饮料能唤起浓郁、令人满足的醇厚口感，并带有坚果或咸鲜的底味，这源于韩语词汇“gosuhada”——这个词经常用来描述含有坚果、种子或豆类的食物，因为它们能为菜肴增添油润的口感。

虽然像Davichi成员姜敏京这样的知名人士让这股潮流获得了极大的关注，但其确切起源仍然是个谜。这股风潮似乎并非源于企业营销策略，而是完全由竞争激烈的咖啡市场中自下而上的消费者需求所催生。

从草根实验到病毒式传播的黑客行为

与跨国公司自上而下推出的饮料热潮不同，kkosup 拿铁现象的出现源于人们对标准冰拿铁的集体不满，因为冰块一旦开始融化，就会失去醇厚度和口感。

在一个街区可能就有三四家咖啡馆的国家，消费者的味蕾已经变得非常挑剔。为了解决拿铁咖啡寡淡无味的问题，一些家庭咖啡师开始在网上分享自制拿铁的技巧，例如冷冻蒸馏牛奶以降低水分含量，或者加入浓奶油或炼乳。

Davichi成员姜敏京在一段视频中展示了她制作更浓郁拿铁牛奶的秘诀。视频来自姜敏京的YouTube频道（@iammingki）。

随着牛奶的“秘诀”越来越受欢迎，这一现象在社交媒体上引发了一股病毒式传播的潮流，消费者们规划路线，仅仅根据牛奶的浓郁程度来评价附近的咖啡店和大型连锁店。

定制乳制品成为焦点

韩国咖啡行业意识到消费者需求的变化，迅速做出反应，优先发展定制乳制品配方，以在饱和的市场中保持领先地位。

如今，大型连锁店和精品咖啡馆都开始展示其专有的乳制品基底，而不是仅仅依靠添加糖浆。

Ten Percent Coffee 推出了其招牌拿铁，主打浓郁顺滑的奶香；而 OozyCoffee 则推出了其深咖啡拿铁，将浓缩咖啡与浓郁的坚果牛奶完美融合。

MegaMGC Coffee 还推出了其招牌牛奶拿铁，采用特制的奶精混合配方，口感更加醇厚。该产品上市两周内销量突破百万，证明即使气温下降，消费者对口感更浓郁、更美味的饮品的需求依然旺盛。

其他大型连锁店也纷纷效仿，通过推出特色拿铁和混合咖啡来扩大菜单，以吸引喜欢浓郁意式咖啡饮品的顾客。

这是Oozy Coffee的招牌浓缩牛奶拿铁的宣传照 / 图片来自Oozy Coffee的Instagram账号

咖啡文化的转变

韩式奶茶拿铁的兴起凸显了韩国饮料潮流发展趋势的日益转变，而韩国市场则以激烈的零售竞争为特征。

现代消费者越来越多地通过社交媒体反馈循环来设定口味和质地的标准，迫使商业咖啡连锁店做出调整以适应他们的偏好。

对于想要摆脱甜糖浆或清淡爽口咖啡的咖啡爱好者来说，kkosup 拿铁提供了一种更浓郁、更有层次感的日常咖啡体验。