Korean Job Discussion Forums

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

I developed my coffee habit as an adult with an ample supply of cheap, quality coffee shops nearby so I never bought Folgers or whatever my parents drank because I could just go get a daily cup of double roasted rocket fuel for $1.50, plus free refill no less.

Here Starbucks has a strangle hold on "real" coffee and after spending a fortune I've bought my own coffee maker. Unfortunately it seems the only place I can buy actual coffee to brew at home is still Starbucks. I assume that the price I am paying for a bag of freshly ground coffee is still pretty damn steep... but at least it's not $4 to $5 a cup.

When I go to grocery stores here I haven't seen the familiar coffee cans of home. It seems like it's all instant this and freeze dried that. Am I just looking in the wrong places? Is it possible to buy regular ground coffee here without having to pay Starbucks prices.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Join Costco and all your coffee problems are solved.

A 1kg bag of Starbucks beans can be had for 12,000 - 24,000. Then buy a little hand grinder in any supermarket/department store. 10,000-20,000. You can have freshly ground coffee anytime.

Good coffee in Korea, outside of Costco, is horribly expensive.

mj roach · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

E-Mart, HomePlus, MegaMart, Lotte, etc...all sell roasted whole bean coffee and have grinding machines.

Try the 'Richville' dark roast... 1 kg. 18-20,000 won

not bad when made in a glass coffee 'press'

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

As said before, any department store/mart will sell your basic generic roasted coffee. It's not folgers brand but it's the same basic stuff. Personally, I hate starbucks roasted beans. I'll let ya'll in on a little secret.

Geumjeong station go out the front entrance and just to the right there is a coffee roaster. He seels fresh, high quality beans from Kenya, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Columbia, Brazil etc. Everything he sells has been roasted within 3 days. 10,000 for a bag of fresh roasted beans and some of the best coffee in Korea.

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

Metsuke · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I'm going to try and roast my own coffee... you can do it in a wok over your stove top.

http://www.gabeeyang.com/

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

there's a micro roaster about 5 minute walk from Daehung station (line 6). can't remember his web site though.

Jizzo T. Clown · Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Location: at my wit's end

Folgers @ 10,000 won for a 1 kg container in Songtan near the base.

It may not be premium sh*t but it definitely works.

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

I don't think you've ever drank premium coffee that's been roasted days prior.

Plus, it's not the only coffee I keep. For normal everyday drinking purposes I keep the stuff from Costco but for something special I keep this stuff.

Metsuke · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

sojourner1 · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:08 am Post subject:

I go to Homeplus and get Hikoco in a 7 ounce sea green colored bag that is columbia supremo for slightly less than 8,000 won per bag.

It is genuine gourmet coffee and is the most delicious coffee I have drank here, including Starbucks.

This runs slighty more than 2X the cost in North America, but like meat, fruit, milk, and many other items, you have to pay exorbitant prices. You're probably looking at some of the highest retail prices in the world for what is common merchandise the world over, except here and many isolated islands. I only wish their were more stores specifically catoring to foreigners besides the Red Door in Itaewon. Often, you can find western goods like good coffee grounds in Korean stores like Homeplus, but it's intended for Koreans to consume on rare occassion instead of everyday consumption, but rather comes in very small quantities as expensive specialty/novelty. To put coffee into comparison, it's sorta like french feta cheese in America where it comes in small quantities at high prices and is usually consumed only in high end hotels and restaurants by the affluent such as when business dining. Well, affluent Koreans do have the fine acquired tastes we have so they do sell a small amount of products.

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

Again, basic Columbian coffee is available at Costco for North American prices...

Red Door is the worst place ever. That place will never get any of my business. Considering that it's not that far from there to Hannam Mart....I can't believe people shop there.