The Busan-based barista champ shares with us some of her favorite spots in the port city.
BY SUNGHEE TARK
SPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Cover photo by Lanny Huang
When Jooyeon Jeon of Momos Coffee in South Korea won the World Barista Championship in 2019, the audience was left mesmerized by her adroit blend of science and coffee service, along with her ingenious approach to customer service. Her win also drew the international audience’s attention to Busan, a southern port city of South Korea, which is lesser known for its specialty-coffee scene compared to the capital of Seoul.
Busan is the second-largest city in South Korea, Jooyeon’s home base, and where she has worked as a barista for over a decade. Ever since winning the WBC title, Jooyeon has ardently put her effort into making Busan a notable city for great coffee on an international scale.
Before the championship, however, Busan’s coffee scene had been steadily thriving locally. In Seomyeon, Busan’s commercial hub, Jeonpo Cafe Street has many independent roasteries, exemplifying how much the city’s coffee scene is flourishing. We wanted to know where Jooyeon would grab a coffee when she is in Busan. Her recommendations will hopefully also serve as a guide if and when you plan a visit there.
Uncles – (BlackUp Coffee, In Earth Coffee, and Mavis Coffee)
When asked about her favorite coffee spots, Jooyeon immediately mentioned the “uncles,” though that name doesn’t correspond to one specific shop. She states, “While these are three very unique and different spots, they are as equally important and valuable to me, so I like to group them and call them my uncles’ coffee companies.”
“Although they are not my blood family, I call them uncles because we have been closely working together (to promote the coffee scene in Busan) … I wouldn’t be where I am if they weren’t here,” she says. According to Jooyeon, the three coffee shops and their owners have been pillars in shaping Busan as the city of specialty coffee in South Korea, along with Momos Coffee. And these efforts are shown through their exceptional coffee quality and hospitality.
BlackUp Coffee’s mission is to create an enjoyable place for both customers and baristas. Their active participation in Cup Of Excellence and direct trade has been noticed in the Korean coffee scene. BlackUp Coffee has nine spots across Busan and Ulsan.
In Earth Coffee is known among locals for its luscious coffee and baked goods. Its artistic interior design equally attracts many visitors. In Earth Coffee also has numerous locations across the city.
Mavis Coffee is another crucial player in Busan’s coffee scene. Its spacious interior and delicious offerings of baked goods and coffee are famous among the locals. Direct trade and transparent communications are two of the values that Mavis Coffee stresses in its operations and service.
Because Busan is a port city, the first element many people associate with it is its beautiful blue ocean, where there are many beaches and picturesque views. Jooyeon says, “Waveon Coffee is where you can enjoy the calming view of the East Sea of South Korea … the fact that you can drink specialty coffee facing the beautiful ocean while being surrounded by Busan’s beautiful nature in your back(yard) is the biggest attraction point of Waveon Coffee.” She also shares that Waveon Coffee is located right next to a camping site, which is also why it is often one of the first coffee shops that she recommends to newcomers.
Waveon Coffee received the Korean Architecture Award in 2018. Its beautiful building, blended well in nature, should lull you enough to spend your entire day there.
Located on Jeonpo Cafe Street, Werk Coffee Roasters has been making a name in Busan’s specialty-coffee scene. This relatively new spot is run by young coffee professionals blending their different approaches through their unique brand identity. Jooyeon shares that Werk stands out for their attempt to merge culture and coffee. The use of their unique café space for multipurpose cultural events is just an example. She recommends Werk as a roastery café where you can engage all five of your senses. Feel these unique leaders’ thoughts and philosophies through their coffee, hospitality, and design.
“I love the ambiance of Cafe Ethan,” says Jooyeon. Cafe Ethan, also located on Jeonpo Cafe Street, is home to heartwarming antiques, expansive options for coffee tools, and regularly evolving coffee offerings. “I think one of the reasons why I love drinking coffee at Cafe Ethan is because you can try different coffees, handpicked by the owner who travels to different roasteries across the country, using tools of your choice.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sunghee Tark is the co-founder of Bean Voyage, a feminist organization that collaborates with smallholder womxn coffee producers to build an equitable coffee value chain. She is also a freelance coffee writer, Specialty Coffee Association LEAD Scholar, and Re:co Fellow.
