Coffee Culture in Korea
Why Does Korea Always Drink Iced Americano, Even in Winter?
✓ Quick Answer
Many Koreans genuinely prefer the taste of iced Americano — regardless of the weather. It’s become one of the best-known quirks of Korean coffee culture.
OOZY COFFEE
The photos in this article were taken during a real visit to OOZY COFFEE.
Scene One: Somewhere in Italy
We were on a trip, sitting in a small café.
A local news crew happened to be filming a segment about coffee culture, and the owner was being interviewed.
The reporter smiled.
“So… do you get a lot of orders for iced Americano?”
The owner smiled politely.
“Well…”
“We don’t actually sell iced Americano here.”
Right on cue — almost as if it had been staged — an Italian man walked past.
He caught the conversation.
Paused for a moment.
Slowly turned his head.
And gave that look.
The one that says, “Why on earth would you drink iced coffee here?”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Because after living in Korea long enough, I understood both sides completely.
Then I Accidentally Learned “Coffee Korean”
A few days later, we were at our daughter’s birthday gathering.
Someone volunteered to take everyone’s coffee order.
“Okay everyone…”
“What’ll you have?”
And then I heard things like:
“A-A hana.”
“Ah-ba-ra hana.”
“Tta-a hana.”
…
Sorry, what?
Had everyone suddenly switched to some kind of code language?
Turns out, no.
I had simply discovered another level of the Korean language.
☕ Coffee Korean 101
Koreans love abbreviating things — and coffee orders are no exception.
| Coffee Korean | Pronunciation | Full Term | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 아아 | Ah-Ah | 아이스 아메리카노 | Iced Americano |
| 따아 | Tta-Ah | 따뜻한 아메리카노 | Hot Americano |
| 뜨아 | Tteu-Ah | 뜨거운 아메리카노 | Hot Americano |
| 아바라 | Ah-Ba-Ra | 아이스 바닐라 라떼 | Iced Vanilla Latte |
| 아샷추 | Ah-Shat-Chu | 아이스티에 샷 추가 | Iced Tea + Espresso Shot |
The 3-Day Korea Challenge 🇰🇷
If you’re visiting Korea for just three days…
forget the complicated Korean.
Walk into any café and say this with confidence:
“A-A hana juseyo!” (One iced Americano, please!)
There’s a decent chance the barista starts making your coffee before you even finish the sentence.
Congratulations.
You just said your first sentence in Coffee Korean.
So Why Is Iced Americano So Popular?
After asking friends, watching people around me, and drinking far more coffee than I probably should have…
I think there are a few reasons.
1. Koreans don’t seem to fear the cold
Korea has four very distinct seasons.
Scorching summers.
Brutal winters.
And yet, plenty of people seem completely unbothered by the cold.
There’s even a famous slang term for it:
얼죽아 (Eol-juk-a)
Literally, it means:
“I’d rather freeze to death than give up iced Americano.”
The first time I heard it, I just laughed.
Then winter came.
People kept ordering iced Americanos anyway.
That’s when I realized…
it wasn’t a joke.
2. Coffee has gotten shockingly cheap
The other reason is price.
Low-cost coffee chains are everywhere.
1,500 won.
2,000 won.
2,500 won.
The prices keep dropping…
while the cup sizes keep getting bigger.
Every time I see a new discount café pop up, I quietly wonder,
“Are they actually making any money?”
Honestly…
I’ve started to worry a little.
Real Price: ₩11,300 — one soft-serve ice cream and two decaf drinks at OOZY COFFEE.
3. Korean adults seem to genuinely like bitter coffee
There’s a funny expression in Korean too:
초딩입맛 (Cho-ding-ip-mat)
Literally, “elementary school kid’s palate” —
a playful way of describing adults who still love sweet food and drinks.
Apparently, becoming an adult in Korea means learning to enjoy bitter coffee.
Me?
I’m still working on it.
My Family Completely Disagrees With Each Other
At every family gathering, the coffee order is basically the same.
My brother-in-law? Iced Americano.
My sister-in-law? Iced Americano.
Most of the parents at daycare? Iced Americano, mostly.
My wife, on the other hand?
She’s a category of her own.
She orders like this:
“One iced decaf vanilla latte…”
“…extra vanilla syrup.”
“…oh, and…”
“…just a little more syrup.”
Honestly, I think that coffee is more of a decoration at that point.
One day, after a big Korean BBQ dinner, my brother-in-law looked at me and said,
“Andrew.”
“You ate way too much meat.”
“Gotta wash the grease off.”
“Drink an iced Americano.”
That’s when it hit me.
For a lot of Koreans, iced Americano isn’t just coffee.
It’s the perfect way to end a meal.
Korean Mum’s NoteAndrew always says Korean coffee is too bitter. And yet every summer… he quietly steals sips of my iced coffee. I think he’s slowly turning into a Korean. Very, very slowly.
Practical Tips
- Don’t be surprised if people order iced coffee even in winter.
- If you’re visiting Korea, it’s worth knowing “A-A” — it comes in handy more than you’d think.
- Low-cost coffee chains are everywhere, and often cheaper than you’d expect.
- If you prefer things sweet, most cafés offer a wide range of lattes and syrup options.
FAQ
Why do Koreans drink iced coffee even in winter?
Many people simply prefer the taste of iced Americano regardless of the weather. It’s now a well-known feature of Korean coffee culture.
What does “얼죽아 (Eol-juk-a)” mean?
Literally, “I’d rather freeze to death than give up iced Americano” — a humorous way to describe people who always choose iced coffee, no matter the season.
What does “아아 (A-A)” mean?
It’s shorthand for iced Americano.
Is coffee in Korea really that cheap?
Many low-cost coffee chains sell Americanos at prices that are surprisingly affordable compared to many other countries.
Over to You
There are still plenty of things about Korea that surprise me. But walking down a snow-covered street… iced Americano in hand… nothing beats the sight of someone who looks completely happy. Maybe I’ll understand it someday. Until then… I’ll be over here with my hot latte. And yeah… a little extra vanilla syrup, please.