Korean cuisine has moved from the periphery to the center of the global culinary world. Choi Ji-ah, CEO of Ongom Food Communications, who has been introducing foreign tourists to Korean flavors for some years now, introduces trends in K-cuisine and K-tourism while proposing new possibilities.

A while ago, I asked Conrad, a British participant in our food tour, what the most British food was. I expected the famous fish and chips or a hearty full English breakfast. However, without hesitation, he replied, "Curry."

Seeing my puzzled look, he smiled and explained. While there are foods that traditionally represent Britain, one of the foods British people eat most frequently today is curry.

It suddenly made me wonder. What are the food or culinary culture that best explain Korea today? When I threw the same question to Conrad, he unexpectedly answered, "Coffee and cafe culture." The other participants with us that day nodded in agreement.

When giving food tours to foreigners, I frequently receive questions: "Why are there so many cafes in Korea?" "There are people in cafes even late in the afternoon. Why?" One could explain that Koreans just love coffee. But looking at the cafes in Seoul, that is not a sufficient explanation. Cafes line every alley, their lights stay on late into the night, and long lines form in front of famous cafes on weekends. It goes beyond mere coffee consumption and approaches a cultural phenomenon.

What is interesting is that what foreigners pay attention to is not the coffee itself, but the cafe as a space. Korean cafes are not simply places to drink beverages. People meet, hold meetings, study, read books, and open laptops to work. Some spend time alone, while others chat with friends for hours.

In my view, the characteristics of Korean cafe culture do not end there. Cafes are a kind of tourist attraction for Koreans as well. Just as travelers visit tourist spots, many people travel to find new cafes. On weekends, people seek out forest cafes on the outskirts of Seoul, visit renovated traditional hanok cafes, and search for spaces combined with bookstores or galleries. Recently, cafes reinterpreting traditional herbal medicine pharmacies or old breweries have also gained popularity. Some people visit famous cafes before local landmarks when traveling. They believe that cafes best show a neighborhood's atmosphere, taste, and the way locals live.

People do not move just for a cup of coffee; they gladly invest their time for the experience the space provides. Each cafe creates its own atmosphere and story with different interiors, lighting, and music. Therefore, in Korea, a cafe has become more than just a place to sell drinks—it has become a destination and an experiential product.

Come to think of it, this is also a very Korean aspect. Korea is not a major global coffee producer. Most coffee beans are imported from overseas. Yet, the reason foreigners pay attention to Korea's cafe culture is not simply because of the coffee's taste.

Korea is adept at rapidly accepting externally introduced cultures and reinterpreting them in its own way. Coffee is no exception. Beans are imported, but the space, service, desserts, and experiences are recreated in a Korean style. We imported coffee, but we created a new cafe culture.

Perhaps that is why foreigners pick cafes as the place where they can best understand Korea. At palaces, you can encounter the Joseon Dynasty; at traditional markets, you can glimpse the lifestyle of Koreans. But at cafes, you can see how Koreans work, rest, meet, consume, and spend their time at this very moment.

We tend to think of kimchi, hanbok, and palaces as things representing Korea. Of course, those are important parts of Korean culture. However, the Korea that foreigners encounter is not necessarily just the Korea of the past. To them, today's Korea may be seen more vividly in cafes.

K-pop and K-dramas can be experienced overseas. But the daily lives of Koreans unfolding in cafes can only be truly encountered by coming to Korea. Sarah from Hong Kong said, "Cafes are more interesting than palaces because you can see the daily lives of Koreans there. The cafes in Seongsu, Cheongdam, and Ikseon-dong have different atmospheres and attract different people, making them fun to observe."

While tangible cultural heritage shows Korea's past, cafes show Korea's present. Tourism is not just about observing the past, but also about understanding the present. When future generations look back at Korea in the 2020s, they might remember not only palaces and hanbok, but also the time spent in cafes as a defining scene.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]