By Steven L. Shields
In 1999 when Starbucks opened its doors in Korea, there was a buzz of excitement throughout Seoul. Long lines formed every day; wait times of 30 minutes or more were not uncommon. Seating was cramped. Until then, the coffee scene in Korea was dominated by the ubiquitous "dabang" (tea room).
There were thousands of them throughout the country. Located mostly on upper floors of commercial buildings, they served a few kinds of tea and instant coffee. The dabang was a gathering place for businesspeople to enjoy an after-lunch cup. Friends went to catch up on one another's news. But the customers were adults ― no high school students, few college students.
I do not think there are any true dabang left in the country. Those that have continued adopted the model of the chain stores. In the 1990s some began advertising full-bean coffee. I doubt any independent coffee shop today offers "coffee mix" in their cups! The older women in the church I served preferred coffee mix. They didn't like the taste of a full-roast coffee; their taste buds had been destroyed.
Okay, I admit, I'm a bit of a coffee snob. The coffee mix products available are still popular, and in small supermarkets it's hard to find anything but that.
I was among the first of the thousands of customers to the new Starbucks that opened in July 1999 ― the U.S.-based chain now has hundreds of shops in Seoul alone. I was excited. And then I was disappointed. They did not offer my "signature" size, the Venti.
I confronted one of the foreign management team that was onsite getting things rolling. He said their marketing studies showed no Korean would ever buy a coffee that large. I countered with the argument that without that size, they weren't Starbucks.
Apparently, many of their customers agreed with me. Not long after they opened, they began offering the 20-ounce cup. Who knew coffee would become such a huge part of Korea's retail economy?
With the proliferation of coffee shops based on Starbucks' model, it's not unusual to find three or more competitors next door to each other. Many local chains have emerged, and other U.S.-based chains have come into the market over the years.
At the risk of offending, they all have pretty much the same marketing model. They do not sell coffee as much as they offer atmosphere. That's OK. They've become the modern dabang ― a gathering place for all ― with many high school and college students mingling with my generation, equalized by coffee.
I came to coffee drinking rather late in life ― I was almost 40 when I started enjoying a cafe mocha once in a while. My mother hated the taste. We never had coffee in our home when I was growing up.
As a result, I knew nothing about it, so would visit a famous chain coffee shop for my treat. When I lived in Korea my second time around in the 1990s, I was fully initiated. I began drinking the brew in earnest. And I drink more than my share of the corporate brews.
I've had a change of heart about coffee in the last few years, though. Oh, I still drink plenty of coffee, but I have been on the prowl for independently owned, local coffee houses ― the small places, tucked into sometimes obscure corners of the city. I enjoy the entrepreneurial spirit of the independent businessperson ― not an easy way to make money, but such people have a passion for what they do.
One such coffee house is near where I stay in Seoul. Mr. Kim opened his shop two years ago. He's been in the food service business most of his adult life (which is pretty short ― he's only 38). He enjoys chatting with customers. He works 12 hours a day, seven days a week. His shop is tiny ― only 12 chairs. His customers are local businesspeople who usually order takeout.
He gets his beans from an independent roaster in the city. His coffee is an Arabica blend from several countries. I love the taste. When asked why he does not do roasting, he told me it's a special skill ― and he would rather focus on customer service. Hooray for the entrepreneur.
Mr. Kim's motto is "Coffee is … " He says the phrase can stand alone, or one can insert whatever one wants. We spent some time together chatting and laughing while filling in the blank. Coffee is "wonderful," "tasty," "essential." Whatever coffee you drink, or wherever you choose to drink it, coffee is … a great equalizer.
Steven L. Shields lived in Korea for several years in the 1970s and 1990s to 2000s. He is a retired clergyman and a life member of the Royal Asiatic Society-Korea Branch. He can be reached at steve.shields@yahoo.com.
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There were thousands of them throughout the country. Located mostly on upper floors of commercial buildings, they served a few kinds of tea and instant coffee. The dabang was a gathering place for businesspeople to enjoy an after-lunch cup. Friends went to catch up on one another's news. But the customers were adults ― no high school students, few college students.
I do not think there are any true dabang left in the country. Those that have continued adopted the model of the chain stores. In the 1990s some began advertising full-bean coffee. I doubt any independent coffee shop today offers "coffee mix" in their cups! The older women in the church I served preferred coffee mix. They didn't like the taste of a full-roast coffee; their taste buds had been destroyed.
Okay, I admit, I'm a bit of a coffee snob. The coffee mix products available are still popular, and in small supermarkets it's hard to find anything but that.
I was among the first of the thousands of customers to the new Starbucks that opened in July 1999 ― the U.S.-based chain now has hundreds of shops in Seoul alone. I was excited. And then I was disappointed. They did not offer my "signature" size, the Venti.
I confronted one of the foreign management team that was onsite getting things rolling. He said their marketing studies showed no Korean would ever buy a coffee that large. I countered with the argument that without that size, they weren't Starbucks.
Apparently, many of their customers agreed with me. Not long after they opened, they began offering the 20-ounce cup. Who knew coffee would become such a huge part of Korea's retail economy?
With the proliferation of coffee shops based on Starbucks' model, it's not unusual to find three or more competitors next door to each other. Many local chains have emerged, and other U.S.-based chains have come into the market over the years.
At the risk of offending, they all have pretty much the same marketing model. They do not sell coffee as much as they offer atmosphere. That's OK. They've become the modern dabang ― a gathering place for all ― with many high school and college students mingling with my generation, equalized by coffee.
I came to coffee drinking rather late in life ― I was almost 40 when I started enjoying a cafe mocha once in a while. My mother hated the taste. We never had coffee in our home when I was growing up.
As a result, I knew nothing about it, so would visit a famous chain coffee shop for my treat. When I lived in Korea my second time around in the 1990s, I was fully initiated. I began drinking the brew in earnest. And I drink more than my share of the corporate brews.
I've had a change of heart about coffee in the last few years, though. Oh, I still drink plenty of coffee, but I have been on the prowl for independently owned, local coffee houses ― the small places, tucked into sometimes obscure corners of the city. I enjoy the entrepreneurial spirit of the independent businessperson ― not an easy way to make money, but such people have a passion for what they do.
One such coffee house is near where I stay in Seoul. Mr. Kim opened his shop two years ago. He's been in the food service business most of his adult life (which is pretty short ― he's only 38). He enjoys chatting with customers. He works 12 hours a day, seven days a week. His shop is tiny ― only 12 chairs. His customers are local businesspeople who usually order takeout.
He gets his beans from an independent roaster in the city. His coffee is an Arabica blend from several countries. I love the taste. When asked why he does not do roasting, he told me it's a special skill ― and he would rather focus on customer service. Hooray for the entrepreneur.
Mr. Kim's motto is "Coffee is … " He says the phrase can stand alone, or one can insert whatever one wants. We spent some time together chatting and laughing while filling in the blank. Coffee is "wonderful," "tasty," "essential." Whatever coffee you drink, or wherever you choose to drink it, coffee is … a great equalizer.
Steven L. Shields lived in Korea for several years in the 1970s and 1990s to 2000s. He is a retired clergyman and a life member of the Royal Asiatic Society-Korea Branch. He can be reached at steve.shields@yahoo.com.
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