One of the places you will visit most frequently when you come to Korea is the cafe. In Korea, there is a wide variety of cafes, ranging from large franchise brands like Starbucks and A Twosome Place to unique, independent private cafes. Koreans do not visit cafes simply to drink coffee; they also seek out cafes to meet up and chat with friends, study, or work on their laptops.
In particular, it is very easy to see people studying in cafes in Korea. This is called “Ka-gong” (Cafe + Studying) and is a very familiar culture among students and office workers. In addition, new drinks and desserts are released every season, and there are many cafes with beautiful interiors and diverse concepts, making visiting them during your trip a wonderful experience.
Representative cafe brands in Korea include Starbucks, A Twosome Place, Mega Coffee, Compose Coffee, and Paik’s Coffee. Since the taste and price differ by brand even for the same Americano, comparing various cafes can also be a fun experience.
Things You Can See at a Korean Cafe
① The Ka-gong-jok (Cafe-studying Tribe)
You can easily spot people studying or working at cafes.
② A Variety of Desserts
Cafes sell diverse desserts such as cakes, cookies, croffles, and macarons.
③ Seasonal Menus
Special drinks and desserts are released every season, such as during strawberry season or cherry blossom season.
④ Takeout Culture
You can frequently see people moving around with their drinks after ordering them.
⑤ Meeting Places
Many people use cafes as a designated meeting place to catch up with friends or colleagues.
✏️ Today’s Korean
1️⃣ 
(ka-pe)
Meaning: Cafe
[Examples]
(Han-gu-ge-neun da-yang-han kon-sep-teu-ui ka-pe-ga man-ta.) / There are many cafes with various concepts in Korea.
(Chin-gu-wa ka-pe-e-seo man-nat-da.) / I met my friend at a cafe.
[Dialogue]
- A:
(Eo-di-e-seo man-nal-kka-yo?) / Where shall we meet? - B:
(Ka-pe-e-seo man-na-yo.) / Let’s meet at a cafe.
2️⃣ 
(eum-nyo)
Meaning: Something you can drink / Beverage, Drink.
[Examples]
(Yeo-reum-cheo-re-neun si-won-han eum-nyo-ga in-gi-reul kkeun-da.) / Cold beverages gain popularity during the summer season.
(Eum-nyo han ja-neul ju-mun-haet-da.) / I ordered a glass of beverage.
[Dialogue]
- A:
(Mwo ma-sil-lae-yo?) / What would you like to drink? - B:
(Si-won-han eum-nyo-ro hal-ge-yo.) / I will go with a cold drink.
3️⃣ 
(di-jeo-teu)
Meaning: Dessert
[Examples]
(Di-jeo-teu ka-pe-ga jeol-meun sa-ram-deu-re-ge in-gi-reul eot-go it-da.) / Dessert cafes are gaining popularity among young people.
(Ke-i-keu-reul di-jeo-teu-ro meo-geot-da.) / I ate cake as a dessert.
[Dialogue]
- A:
(Di-jeo-teu-do meo-geul-kka-yo?) / Shall we eat some dessert too? - B:
(Ne, ke-i-keu-reul meok-go si-peo-yo.) / Yes, I want to eat cake.
4️⃣ 
(ja-ri)
Meaning: A space where a person can sit / Seat, Space.
[Examples]
(Ju-ma-re-neun ka-pe ja-ri-reul chat-gi eo-ryeop-da.) / It is difficult to find a seat in a cafe on weekends.
(Chang-ga ja-ri-e an-jat-da.) / I sat in a window seat.
[Dialogue]
- A:
(Ja-ri it-seo-yo?) / Are there any seats available? - B:
(Ne, jeo-jjo-ge bin-ja-ri-ga it-seo-yo.) / Yes, there is an empty seat over there.
