Can London’s Korean Cafes Ride the K-Pop Wave?
The hottest place for a caffeine buzz are high-design cafes with specialties like green tea lattes, salt bread and corn dogs.
Matcha with a side of salt bread at Tokkia, part of London’s new Korean cafe wave.
Source: AlvaroKPop Demon Hunters. BTS. Kimchi. For the past dozen years a cultural force known as hallyu (“Korean wave”) has engulfed the world. What began as a modest export of South Korean soap operas to other parts of East Asia in the late ’90s (Hallyu 1.0) metamorphosed into a transnational obsession with K-pop, K-dramas and Korean cinema, skin care, fashion and food.
In its latest soft-power incarnation, the wave is manifesting in London’s Korean cafes, where high-concept design meets casual, gochujang-laced dishes and innovative hot drinks. The model has proven popular, fueled by TikTok and the appeal of all-day hangouts that invite frequent visits. These places aren’t exact replicas of their Seoul counterparts; instead, they’ve got their own identity, subtly influenced by their owners’ experiences in the UK.