Enjoy Busan
A tale of two coffee cities
In Melbourne, where 95% of cafes are independently owned, friendly service and a welcoming atmosphere are just as important as what's in a cup.
The Boatbuilders Yard, a cafe and bar on the Yarra River in Melbourne.
Busan, Korea, and Victoria State, Australia, have been sister cities since 1994. Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria has many things in common with Busan- each port city has great beaches, a dynamic arts scene and superb dining - coffee is number one. Melbourne's vibrant coffee culture is one of the world's best, where skilled baristas concoct creative beverages. On the other hand, Busan's java scene is rising, where fresh beans from around the world enter to satisfy Korea's caffeine cravings.
Come with Busan is Good on a journey to discover the stories behind the coffee culture of these two cities.
Coffee Palace in Melbourne, 19th Century.
■ The history of Melbourne's coffee culture
The story of Melbourne coffee walks alongside the history of the city. In the 1830s, the temperance movement that started in the United States reached Australia, and coffee was promoted as a morally superior beverage to alcohol. As a result, ornate "coffee palaces" were introduced to compete with pubs and provide alcohol-free leisure spaces.
Pellegrini's Espresso Bar, the first Italian-style espresso bar in the Melbourne.
But the real caffeine kick came with the immigration boom post-World War II. Italian immigrants brought espresso coffee and a lively cafe culture. Melburnians immediately took to these imports, resulting in numerous Italian espresso bars springing up across the city.
In the early 21st century, the popularity of specialty coffee once again transformed the java culture in Australia's coffee capital. To satisfy customers, baristas worked hard to find exquisite coffee beans and roast them using new techniques and recipes to create unique aromas and tastes. As consumers demanded better beverages and baristas pushed brewing boundaries, a great coffee culture evolved.
A cafe in Melbourne.
A Melbourne magic coffe, top, and a piccolo latte.
■ Melbourne cafes
Today, 95% of cafes in Melbourne are independent and locally owned, and each offers its signature beverage and atmosphere.
Before experiencing Melbourne's coffee culture, it's best to learn the ins and outs of a cafe menu. Most beverages start with a foundation of espresso, a small, strong shot of coffee with a layer of foam, known as the crema, on top.
Others may prefer ristretto, a shot of espresso named after the Italian word for "restricted." In this context, ristretto refers to how a barista pulls only the first portion of an espresso shot, meaning less hot water is pushed through the coffee grounds. The result is a smaller, more concentrated coffee with a sweeter, richer flavor.
While drinking an espresso or ristretto on their own is popular in Italy, most Melburnians like to combine them with milk. Based on informal surveys, most people enjoy a latte (high milk-to-coffee ratio) or a flat white (less milk-to-coffee ratio). The order for Melburnians in the know is a "magic coffee," a flat white made with a double shot of ristretto.
If you don't want milk, order a long black, a drink made by pouring espresso over water. This method retains the crema, unlike an Americano, in which water is poured over the espresso.
While such details concerning milk ratios and order of operations may seem overly fastidious, the concern reflects Melburnian baristas' dedication to crafting the perfect cup of coffee.
Hongrim Kim, the chairman of the MKBA.
Seongwon Cha, aka Caleb Cha, is a certifed WCC judge.
■ The Korean Wave hits Melbourne
Globally, K-culture has influenced many industries, and the coffee scene in Melbourne is no different. Korean coffee lovers have brought their skills and tastes to the Land Down Under.
Last year, Busan native and entrepreneur Hongrim Kim launched The Butter Room, a Korean-style bakery and cafe. Melburnians flock to the store for treats like the dalgona coffee and injeolmi bread.
"The Butter Room is the first Korean-inspired cafe serving coffee and baked goods in Melbourne," Mr. Kim said. "Locals find it a shockingly refreshing addition to the city's coffee scene.
Mr. Kim believes Busan has the potential to be a world-class coffee destination. "Korean baristas generally have great technique, even compared to Melbourne's baristas. Plus, it's a very positive sign that Busan has a unique coffee culture like Jeonpo Cafe Street and others, which can enhance its reputation as a coffee city."
Seongwon Cha, the 2015 World Latte Art Champion and owner of Tone Coffee in Melbourne, agrees.
"The term 'the city of coffee in Korea' instantly reminds me of Busan" Mr. Cha said. "Busan has such a huge potential to be a major hub city for the coffee industry thanks to the high-quality coffee beans and the number of coffee events where baristas can share their ideas and communicate with each other. I personally envy the city."
However, he noted that for Busan to reach its potential, customers must try new things.
"In Melbourne, coffee lovers play a pivotal role in upgrading coffee culture because cafes and roasteries try different approaches to satisfy customers, who happily try new specialty coffees. That's a solid foundation for baristas to make experimental recipes without risking their business. If Busan can accept this coffee culture, I believe Busan will be another coffee mecca in Korea."
Waveon Coffee in Gijang-gun County.
■ Space and atmosphere in Busan
Busan's coffee culture centers around various cafe streets, where shops of all sizes gather in one area. The most prominent is Jeonpo Cafe Street, where former hardware stores have been transformed into trendy coffee shops and bakeries. The neighborhood was touted as a must-visit stop by the New York Times and CNN.
Oncheoncheon Cafe Street is another area to visit. Known as one of the best spots to enjoy cherry blossoms in the spring, the area offers several cafes to sit back, relax and enjoy coffee any time.
These days, a burgeoning cafe hotspot is Yeongdo Island. Once an industrial and shipbuilding zone, empty warehouses and factories have been transformed into chic cafes with stunning ocean views.
If you enjoy finding hidden gems, check out Haeridan-gil Street, behind the old Haeundae Station, or Mangmidan-gil Street in Suyeong-gu District. These areas have a collection of restaurants, bakeries and cafes scattered across narrow alleyways, where customers in the know gather to discover the latest food and beverage trends.
■ Fresh beans, the foundation of Busan coffee
According to the Korea Customs Service, about 92% of imported coffee products enter the country through Busan each year. As such, Busan coffee shops can offer fresher beans and a wider range of bean varietals compared to other cities.
As the gateway to the nation's coffee habit, Busan is a natural incubator for coffee-related businesses. Under the slogan "Coffee City Busan," the city is positioning itself as Korea's caffeine capital, and it has a strong claim to do so.
In 2022, Busan signed an agreement with the Specialty Coffee Association to build a data platform that helps baristas choose the ideal type of coffee for their shops. The partnership also helped Busan host the World of Coffee Expo and the World Barista Championship in May 2024. The major events introduced Busan's coffee culture to an even greater audience.
It also helps that Busan produces world class baristas, including 2019 World Barista Champion Jeon Joo-yeon and 2022 World Cup Tasters Champion Moon Heon-gwan.
Ms. Jeon, along with Melbourne-trained 2021 World Cup Tasters Champion Charlie Chu, runs Momos Coffee. Momos Coffee has a roastery and coffee bars spread throughout the city. Mr. Moon heads Month Coffee Roasters, which sells coffee beans and supplies online. These homegrown talents produce some of the finest coffee in the world.
In addition, the nation's most valuable low-cost coffee brands began their operations in Busan. Compose Coffee, the nation's leader in low-cost coffee, opened its first store by Kyungsung University in 2014. It now boasts 2,500 franchise stores nationwide. The Venti also began in 2014 with its first store near Pusan National University. It now boasts 1,330 stores nationwide.
Other Busan brands include Tenpercent Coffee and Hasamdong Coffee, which have about 500 to 600 stores nationwide. Blu Shaak, a recent player in the low-cost coffee game, opened its first store in 2019 and has grown to 218 stores nationwide.
■ The charm of Busan coffee, captured in video
Busan will create a documentary, "Coffee with Me," to promote the Coffee City intiative. It is expected to be released in September via broadcast and OTT platforms. The city appointed Korean singer Paul Kim, who has a hit song, "Coffee with Me," as the initiative's public relations ambassador. He will introduce people the allure of Busan's coffee culture.
※Some contents(data, resource, photo, etc) are courtesy of Global Victoria, Victoria State Government.
☞Global Victoria website: click to visit
<Vocab Spotlight>
concoct: 함께, 같이
java: '커피'를 뜻하는 은어
temperance movement: 금주운동
ornate: 사치스러운
exquisite: 절묘한
fastidious: 까다로운
Land Down Under: 아랫쪽에 있는 땅(호주를 뜻하는 은어)
pivotal role: 중추적인 역할
burgeoning: 급성장하는