We asked 10 Gen Z Koreans, many of them at cafes, about their relationship with coffee

Korean youth seem to always be at cafes.

They read books, study or simply are there to get outside the house. On dates, they check out the trendiest cafes. Their trips to getaway destinations almost always include visiting trendy local cafes.

But what does coffee mean to young people? The Korea Herald spoke to 10 Generation Z individuals about coffee's significance in their lives.

‘Takeout prices should stay around 2,000 won’

We met Gaeul, a college student studying at a cafe on a local university campus in Seoul.

Asked to share the first thing that comes to mind about coffee, she said the price should stay affordable. “Takeout coffee prices should stay around 2,000 won ($1.40),” the 24-year-old said. “I’m a regular at the campus cafe, where coffee’s cheap and it's closer to my classes.”

A college student and a part-time dancer, Gaeul often relies on coffee to stay alert, especially with her late-night dance rehearsals and morning lectures. For her, coffee is not a treat — it is a necessity.

She said the taste does not concern her much.

“I don’t like drinking it too much, but on particularly tough mornings, I need it to keep my eyes open,” She said. “The caffeine doesn’t even have to be that strong. Honestly, it’s the bitter taste that wakes me up.”

When she grabs a seat, however, Gaeul says she is willing to pay up to 5,000 won per cup.

“I sit in cafes for its atmosphere,” she noted. “Having a nice chat in a cozy cafe is worth the price sometimes.”

'I brew it myself'

Bora, an office worker aged 26, drinks two cups of coffee every day.

“I brew my morning coffee myself,” she said, emphasizing that she only needs to purchase her second cup.

As an office worker, Bora relies heavily on coffee to get through the day. “I drink coffee first thing in the morning,” she said. “I need caffeine flowing in my veins to function every day.”

For the second cup of the day, she prioritizes taste.

“There is a difference between the coffee I drink out of necessity and what I drink in my free time. My second drink of the day is a treat,” she explained. “Also, when I go to cafes with my friends, I occasionally spend more on drinks than meals.”

'Paying for use of the space'

Ji-won, 22, doesn’t mind paying more to sit in spacious franchise cafes when talking to friends; she regards the coffee's cost as the price of renting the space.

“When I’m sitting in a cafe for a long time, especially with friends, I don’t mind paying more because I’m also paying for the use of that space,” she said as she was also talking with a friend at a Starbucks in front of Korea University in Seoul.

The college student admits that her choices for coffee are often restrained by budgetary concerns. As a college student who relies on a monthly allowance from her parents, she finds herself drinking just about one cup a day at low-budget franchises on her way to school.

“For everyday coffee, I focus on price over taste. Twenty-five hundred won is the highest I’d pay for a cup,” she said.

“When I first started drinking coffee, the caffeine hit me hard. But now that I’m used to it, I need more just to feel the same effect.”

‘Coffee prices are sky-high’

Hanna, a 26-year-old English teacher, typically brews her coffee. She is also budget-conscious, opting for mobile gift certificates or affordable franchises when she goes for coffee.

Yet, she understands why some people spend more on coffee than food.

“I don’t think it’s wrong,” she said. “Caffeine is a daily necessity for many people, but coffee prices are sky-high now. Drinking multiple cups a day can add up to the price of a proper meal.”

Staying frugal throughout the week, Hanna’s priorities shift during her days off when taste overrides price.

“On my free days, I prefer sweet coffee that I can actually enjoy the taste of,” she said. “Cafes are also a great place to socialize without spending too much — 3,500 won to 4,000 won is all I have to pay to use that space for hours.”

'Mini getaway from everyday life'

Sol, a 22-year-old college student, was at an aesthetic local coffee shop having dessert when we met her.

“I sometimes visit cafes just for the ambiance,” Sol shared with a smile. “I love taking cute pictures and soaking in the decor, the views, the creative drinks ... all of it’s part of the experience.”

She visits cafes with friends. Sometimes, it is more than that — an escape from daily life.

“I enjoy being in those bright, spacious and well-decorated spaces,” she said. “It feels like a mini getaway for me, a place where I can relax and chat outside of daily life.”

Although she enjoys the social and aesthetic appeal of cafes, Sol has cut back on coffee recently.

“I became dependent on it,” she admitted. “At first, it helped me stay awake during long study sessions. But eventually, I’d get headaches if I didn’t have at least one cup a day.”

Recognizing her caffeine dependency, she has gradually reduced her intake to one cup a day. Now, she tries to drink coffee only for leisure.

“I’m proud of myself,” she said with satisfaction. “I now drink coffee only when I really want it.”

‘We don’t have many options’

Su-an, a 22-year-old college student, was at a cafe near Ewha Womans University in Seoul chatting with her friends when we met her. Admitting to occasionally spending more on drinks than meals, she said, “We do not have that many options.”

“What else can you do with your friends when you’re a student on a budget?” she asked. “We’d love to do something else, but other options are just far more expensive. Having drinks in a cafe offers the most value.”

Su-an, like many of her generation, enjoys seeking out aesthetically pleasing cafes at times, especially the smaller, cozier cafes over large franchises.

Visiting cafes is more like a hobby, she said.

“Having a hobby takes up a lot of time and money. What better thing is there for Gen Z to do than visit pretty spaces, take pictures and connect with people ... all for about 6,000 won per person?”

'Coffee represents survival, financial freedom'

When asked about his relationship with coffee, Min-soo paused thoughtfully before answering, “Coffee represents both survival and financial freedom for me.”

“Back in high school, coffee represented a form of survival for me. I needed it to focus on my studies,” recalled the 20-year-old, who was reading a book when we met him at a campus cafe. “But my family was not well off, so I stuck to cheaper options.”

Since he could only afford cheap, instant coffee, seeing people in expensive coffee franchises used to make him think how different they were from him.

“I used to think coffee shops were only for people with money,” he said. “People who paid more for drinks than for food are far removed from my reality.”

Things changed when Min-soo entered college, and his family’s financial situation improved. “Now I go to cafes with nice aesthetics and enjoy my time there with friends,” he said, sharing that he finally came to enjoy coffee.

‘Cafes target Gen Z’

Sun-woo, a 23-year-old bartender, admitted he often visits trendy coffee shops to take photos of the drinks and decor.

“In my free time, I like going to cafes to snap pictures and enjoy an often overpriced drink,” he said. “Then I upload it onto social media. I think it satisfies a part of me that wants to express myself and be recognized.”

Drawing from his own experience, Sun-woo explained that this desire to stand out is not unique to him.

“Gen Z-ers are all about self-expression,” he said. “Cafes know this, and they target this generation focusing on the aesthetic appeal of the space, often more than the taste.”

He concluded with sharp insight into his generation.

“Gen Z, including myself, is caught in this cycle of wanting to live an Instagram-worthy life,” he said. “Cafes and big brands feed into that, and social media just fuels the consumption cycle we’re all stuck in.”

‘I’ll be fine without coffee’

“I’ll be fine without coffee. Or cafes, for that matter,” said Ji-hye, 24, who was preparing an iced latte for a customer at a cafe. “I don’t drink coffee anyway. It’s too bitter for me.”

She said she enjoys the process of making caffeinated drinks, although she does not drink them herself.

“I prefer sweeter drinks, like matcha or chocolate lattes. I love making them — that’s part of the reason I started working at a cafe,” she explained. “When I used to drink a lot of sweet beverages, I would order all the ingredients and make them myself at home.

Though she may not enjoy coffee, she still visits coffee shops for other drinks. Recognizing how they can add up in cost, she is careful about her spending — even 500 won counts.

“I frequently bring a tumbler to get a 500 won discount,” she said. “I also make an effort to look for the cheapest spots around.”

‘I drank coffee to fit in’

“The first ‘coffee’ I had was actually coffee-flavored milk,” Da-young, 25, said while nursing a vanilla latte and trying to write a poem.

She started working at a young age, she explained, and is now in the process of changing jobs.

“The first time I tried real coffee was at my first job. It was the cheapest thing on the menu, and I was with people from work and didn’t want to stand out by ordering something more expensive like a latte, especially when everyone else was getting iced Americanos,” She recalled. “I drank coffee just to fit in.”

Although she has grown accustomed to black coffee and drinks it daily, Da-young admits she prefers sweeter drinks.

“The sole reason I drink iced Americano now is because I’ve become dependent on it. My caffeine tolerance is so high that I need multiple cups just to stay awake,” she said, adding, “In Korea’s work culture, where you need high concentration and to endure long hours, coffee becomes a survival tool.”

While she cannot deny her reliance on caffeine for work and study, Da-young makes time to enjoy coffee in a more relaxed setting.

“Needing coffee to wake up actually makes me appreciate the moments when I can savor it,” she reflected. “I feel more like myself when I’m with friends, away from work. That’s when I treat myself to an iced vanilla latte.”

Asked if that sweet drink reminded her of the coffee-flavored milk from her childhood, Da-young answered with a shy smile and a nod.