Korea Specialty Espresso Information

The Korea Specialty Espresso Information goals to introduce guests to lots of the nation’s incredible specialty cafés.

BY SUNGHEE TARK
SPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE

Photographs by Grace Bak 

South Korea’s espresso market has been multiplying. The historically tea-drinking nation has grow to be one of many fastest-growing specialty-coffee powerhouses of late, with 2019 World Barista Champion Jooyeon Jeon representing the nation, and internationally common espresso manufacturers akin to Fritz Espresso Firm.  

Nonetheless, publication on Korea’s burgeoning specialty-coffee scene has been scarce and restricted to the Korean language for the home viewers. An growing variety of espresso professionals have visited Korea, however getting a great specialty espresso is like capturing at nighttime amidst the myriad café choices across the nation. 

A Guidebook for Espresso Lovers

Such thirst is what led Charles Costello to create the Caffeine Compass espresso information after residing in Korea for a number of years. Now he has written a ebook, Korea Specialty Espresso Information, to introduce guests to Korea to extra of its nice specialty cafés. “Koreans don’t steadily use Google Maps however as a substitute their very own search engines like google and yahoo to look good locations close to you and to go away evaluations. And these home search engines like google and yahoo are exhausting to make use of for foreigners if you happen to don’t communicate the language. There are solely so many cafes reviewed on Google Maps … making entry to well-reviewed cafes troublesome for non-Korean audio system,” says Charles.  

Charles teamed up with Wonjin Cho and Jaebom Shim, who’ve been among the many main voices in archiving and writing on the Korean espresso business for some time now, to jot down the ebook. Korea Specialty Espresso Information marks an necessary milestone as the primary specialty guidebook on Korea’s espresso business to be written in English.  

Guide Contents

Korea Specialty Espresso Information includes a transient abstract of the historical past of the Korean espresso business, starting with the Chosun dynasty—when the primary written file of espresso consuming in Korean territory seems in 1886. Subsequent is the fast development in consumption of pre-mixed soluble espresso in a stick, popularized by Dong Suh Meals Company. Then, there’s the primary Starbucks opening in 1999, and the onset of the specialty-coffee scene within the nation, primarily led by Terarosa, Namusairo, and Espresso Libre. It continues with the emergence of the latest wave of specialty-coffee leaders: Fritz Espresso Firm, Felt Espresso, and Momos Espresso, between 2009 and 2016. The ebook is full of in-depth evaluations of the 82 most notable cafés throughout the nation, all whereas exploring what makes the Korean specialty-coffee business so attractive.  

The authors chosen these cafes, they are saying, as a result of they captured the essence of the distinctive Korean espresso scene. Readers can count on to have them categorized by varied areas in and out of doors of Seoul. Due to the authors’ depth of reference to the business, every café within the ebook is reviewed with important data. Opinions embody opening hours, places, and the tales of the founders and types.  

The Guide’s Goal

In celebration of the launch, on September 30, the authors hosted an occasion at Peer Espresso Roasters in Seongsu, Seoul. A whole bunch of espresso professionals from throughout the nation attended the occasion. The authors personally greeted every visitor and served the particular blends of espresso created for the books: Magic Cafe Information and Scheherazade, the primary specialty decaf mix to be launched within the Korean espresso scene.  

The authors hope that this ebook will likely be a useful information to these visiting South Korea sooner or later, as they seek for a great cup of espresso throughout their keep. The Korea Specialty Espresso Information is printed by Ttabi, a Korean writer, and is out there for delivery throughout North America by on-line platforms Kyobo USA and Bandibook USA.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sunghee Tark (she/her) is the co-founder of Bean Voyage, a feminist group that collaborates with smallholder womxn espresso producers to construct an equitable espresso worth chain. She can be a contract espresso author, Specialty Espresso Affiliation LEAD Scholar, and Re:Co Fellow.