Why Korean-style cafes are proving so popular in Hong Kong’s coffee shop scene

Hong Kong’s culinary scene is a relentless parade of the new, a dizzying cycle of pop-ups and passing fads. Yet few trends have been as noticeable as the rise of the Korean-style cafe.\nMore than just places for a caffeine fix, these establishments have become the preferred social sanctuaries for many, a phenomenon that crescendoed in 2025 with a fresh wave of openings.\nThe last few months alone have seen the soft launch of Haus Coffee Club in October, with its minimalist, homelike interiors; the indulgent debut of Cozy Cream Corner in November, promising artisanal soft-serve ice cream and warm woods; and the expansion of Kactus Koffee, which opened a second branch in September, proving its desert-chic aesthetic has fertile ground to grow.\n\nBut what exactly defines a Korean-style cafe?\nUnlike the utilitarian, grab-and-go ethos of traditional Hong Kong cha chaan tengs, or the artisanal roasters focused on high-quality coffee, the most noticeable trait of Korean-style cafes is their immersive themes.\nThe concepts can be wildly diverse and meticulously curated. Animal cafes in South Korea, for example, commonly feature cats and dogs, but also sheep, raccoons and even meerkats.\nCharacter cafes are based on people like K-pop idols or characters from popular animations, with themed food and exclusive merchandise. Still others focus on specific eras or locales, whether that be a vintage Parisian bookstore or a tropical resort in Bali.\n\nAccording to Jasmine Mok, founder of Haus Coffee Club, the connecting factor is that they always look good in pictures.\nThis “Instagram-first” philosophy is not an afterthought but a primary business strategy, turning customers into amplifiers.\n“In Korea, a cafe’s visual concept is its first product. The coffee comes second,” explains Mok, who lived in Seoul for seven years before returning to her home in Hong Kong. “If it’s not shareable, it’s not sustainable in today’s market.”\nThis strategy works with Hong Kong’s social-media-savvy consumers, for whom discovering and sharing the next photogenic spot is a cherished pastime.\n\nHaus Coffee Club is named after, and inspired by, the Bauhaus design movement, which favoured contemporary minimalism, neutral palettes and natural decor. Mok notes that this is a popular style that many Korean cafes gravitate towards.\nYet, to dismiss these spaces as mere photo studios would be a mistake. They also cater to a profound social need in Hong Kong.\nPark Ho-yeon, owner of the recently opened Lazy Sunday in Sheung Wan, says that they provide a getaway in the form of a pick-me-up, giving people “a sense of calm and escape in a very fast-paced city”.\nAmong Hong Kong’s cramped living quarters and relentless work pace, the Korean cafe offers a sanctioned “third place” – a comfortable, spacious and welcoming place that is neither home nor office and encourages lingering.\n“For many young people, a cafe is their extended living room, their meeting hall and sometimes their office,” Mok says. Most of her customers are students looking for a place to study or working professionals on a break.\n\n\nShe sees Hong Kong’s typically transactional cafe visits as a stark contrast to the unhurried, communal culture common in Korea – a rhythm she is determined to cultivate locally.\n“There’s rarely a time limit there. We want to change the mindset here, to make the cafe a place for community, not just a quick stop,” she says.\n“We don’t rush people when they just want to slow down.”\nKorean cafes also tend to offer creative menus with innovative drinks and desserts that make buying coffee more than just an afternoon pick-me-up.\nBeyond traditional Korean fare like bingsu (shaved ice), common cafe items include croffles, doughnuts and speciality drinks. Haus Coffee Club is no exception: its menu features an orange americano, a banana bread latte and a buttercream latte.\n“In a saturated market, coffee alone is not enough,” Mok says. “The product is the whole experience.”\n\nAnother reason why this particular import has found such fertile ground in Hong Kong is the larger force of hallyu, or the Korean Wave, Mok says.\n“I think for Hong Kong, Seoul is the new Japan for now,” she says, noting that Korean culture’s current wave mirrors Hong Kong’s past fascination with Japanese trends. “Korea is the new trend, which is why it’s so much more popular, with K-pop and all those industries driving it. It’s everywhere now.”\nAnd that is why Beom Seok-kim, owner of Mason Pocket, took a different approach. He avoided the now-familiar pastel palettes and minimalist decor of many Korean-inspired cafes and instead turned to an unexpected source of inspiration: African architecture.\nDriven by a personal passion for vintage African aesthetics, his space is defined by curved, terracotta-hued walls finished with traditional plaster and accented by hand-woven textiles.\n\nThis bold choice stems from a deeper philosophy about what a modern cafe should be. Kim argues that beyond just offering good coffee or a pleasant environment, successful cafes now serve as a “space for sharing personal preferences”. A generic template, he suggests, is no longer enough to connect.\n“Given Hong Kong’s high rents and competitive market, I did not apply the typical Korean cafe model directly,” he says, highlighting his own preference for individualism over formula. For him, a cafe’s authenticity must flow from the owner’s unique taste, not a pre-packaged trend.\nUltimately, while he acknowledges the Korean Wave may draw initial curiosity, he credits his cafe’s resilience to more tangible fundamentals.\n“I believe the cafe’s success comes more from consistent flavours and carefully calculated interiors than from the Korean Wave itself,” he says.\n“Being Korean does not automatically guarantee success.”\n