And now a bit on Korea's changing cafe culture.
Cafes have long been used as a second office for some people -- a privilege some cafe owners
might feel is abused.
But a new trend is seeing cafes embrace their role as a place to work and study... and are
charging by the hour.
And plenty of customers are perfectly okay with that.
Let's take a look.
A cafe is a type of restaurant serving various refreshments.
However, its role has been changing in recent years as more people are choosing to study
and work there.
Let’s zoom in on this trend and how today’s cafes are satisfying the changing demands
of customers.
Myeongdong in the heart of Seoul... is one of the most crowded areas in the capital with
streets full of cafes.
Jeong Hyeon-wook is a university student in his final year, but he frequents cafes more
often than his school library.
He goes to a cafe at least three to four times a week on his own to study.
(Korean) "I feel a little claustrophobic in my school
library, but coffee shops have a freer atmosphere that allows me to study with a group of friends
or answer phone calls among other benefits.
These convenient elements attract me to study at coffee shops."
This cafe franchise introduced quiet-study seating in its cafes last April.
Just like a library, each seat has a partition and power outlet, making it the perfect place
to concentrate.
Plus, beverages and snacks are readily available for students and workers as light meals and
refreshments.
Then what makes cafe franchises try to attract more of this particular group of customers?
(Korean) "Customers usually start their work and studies
with coffee or other beverages.
After focusing on their work for a while, they consume some sandwiches and cakes additionally,
which really increase our sales."
With a growing number of people working and studying, cafes are now being called “coffice,”
a combination" of cafe” and “office.”
(Korean) "I study for about three to five hours every
time I come to a coffee shop."
According to one survey, 4 out of 5 adults answered they have studied or worked at cafes
before,
while 2 out of 5 university students said that they go to cafes regularly to study.
Why do some prefer to study and work at a coffee house rather than the library or office?
(Korean) "Cafes are much more open than ordinary office
spaces while offering a sense of connectivity at the same time.
Therefore, coffee shops are becoming multi-functional spaces where people can enjoy not only good
coffee but work and have meetings."
Some small-sizes cafes are have ongoing conflict with coffee shop studiers and workers.
Because they study and work in cafes for long periods of time, sales can suffer.
To minimize their losses, some cafe owners adopted the “No Study Zone” rule or “Laptop-Free
Zone” rule.
Efforts have been made to ease the conflicts, and hourly-based cafes are the result.
It charges customers based on time spent, so that both parties can be happy.
The first hourly-based cafe was opened in April 2016.
Within a year and a half, there are now 21 hourly-based cafes, which is a testament to
the efficacy of the system.
(Korean) "The number of coffee-shop studiers keeps
on growing, yet they feel uncomfortable studying at cafes because they know that they are unwelcomed.
This phenomenon naturally created a demand for space that students and workers can freely
rent.
Libraries and study rooms aren’t preferred due to the restricted environment, so this
kind of study caf?
offers a perfect option to meet the complex needs of customers."
What makes these hourly-based cafes special is the focus on the space itself rather than
service of beverages or snacks.
Also, customers are not allowed to talk in person or on the phone in the cafes to ensure
the perfect study and work atmosphere.
Cafes are evolving to meet the demands of their customers.
(Korean) "I feel like I can stay for about three hours
at a normal coffee shop, otherwise, I have to order more food and drinks.
However, this place is very good in the sense that I can stay as long as I want."
(Korean) "These days, consumers see coffee shops not
only as a place to get coffee, but also a cultural complex where they can sit down,
relax, socialize, study and read.
This trend is expected to create an increasing demand for cafes with a variety of concepts,
ranging from small-sized, cozy cafes that are perfect for SNS to hourly-based cafes
to library and book cafes among others."
In tune with the needs of customers, cafes are becoming increasingly versatile, shaping
new lifestyle traditions and social dynamics.