In this blog post, we explore how sweet desserts and cafés have established themselves as spaces for healing and comfort in the daily lives of modern people.
The saying “there’s a café just down the street” no longer holds true; instead, “café streets” lined with multiple cafés are now a common sight throughout cities. The diverse signage of these cafés, stretching along the streets, showcases their unique charm and captures the attention of passersby. Cafés, which were once simply places to drink coffee, have evolved into venues that offer a cultural experience. In particular, areas with large young populations—such as university districts, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam, and Hongdae—are densely packed with distinctive cafés, making it easy to find one with an interior or atmosphere that suits one’s taste. What’s remarkable is that many of the cafés in these areas are almost always bustling with people. Ultimately, the increased demand for cafes has led to the proliferation of countless cafes throughout the streets. So, what is it that draws people to cafes and drives this demand?
While cafes were originally places that sold coffee, it’s hard to find one these days that sells only coffee. Alongside bitter coffee, a variety of beverages and sweet desserts like shaved ice and cakes have become staple menu items. In recent years, the trend toward cafes becoming “dessert-centric” has become prominent, and it is now common to see “dessert cafes” where desserts, rather than coffee, take center stage. This goes beyond simply serving beverages and acts as a key factor in luring customers with sweetness. A representative brand of dessert cafes is “Twosome Place.” Twosome Place sells not only a variety of beverages, including coffee, but also a wide range of desserts—such as waffles, cakes, shaved ice, gelato, and honey bread—whose names alone evoke a sense of sweetness, and the brand is actively marketing these offerings. Another appealing aspect of Twosome Place is that customers can discover new dessert items every time they visit a store. Currently, the brand operates over 1,400 stores nationwide, and the number of locations continues to grow steadily.
A brand similar to Twosome Place is ‘The Coffee Bean.’ While The Coffee Bean has slightly fewer stores—around 1,000—it captures customers’ attention by focusing on high-quality desserts. The Coffee Bean differentiates itself by offering premium desserts, such as cakes and handmade chocolates crafted by professional pastry chefs right in the store. Customers can enjoy more than just coffee; they can savor luxurious desserts and beverages together, creating a sense of a special experience.
So why have we become so captivated by the temptation of sweet desserts? One reason is the advancement of civilization. Generally, as civilization advances and per capita income rises, sugar consumption tends to increase. It is often said that sugar consumption is a measure of civilization; sweetness has long been an attractive element that has spread alongside progress. As Westernized food culture has spread, Western culinary and dessert traditions—which heavily feature sugar—have taken root in Korea, and this can be seen as the driving force behind Koreans’ current enjoyment of desserts.
Another contributing factor is the increased cultural exchange facilitated by social media (SNS) alongside the widespread adoption of smartphones. By taking photos of desserts that look sweet just by looking at them and posting them on social media, people can easily communicate with others overseas and share dessert culture. For example, the famous Japanese dessert brand “Mon Chou Chou” first sold a roll cake filled with sweet fresh cream called the “Tojima Roll” at its Osaka flagship store. Its appearance and taste became known in Korea through the social media posts of Japanese tourists and celebrities. Riding the wave of the Dojima Roll’s popularity, a Mon Chou Chou café opened in Sinsa-dong, and subsequently, Mon Chou Chou’s popular dessert menu expanded into Korean department stores. Furthermore, previously unfamiliar desserts like French macarons and tarts have spread to Korea through social media and have since become staple items on the menus of Korean cafés. Now that an environment has been created where people can easily access overseas dessert cultures, Korea’s own dessert culture is also undergoing diverse changes.
Furthermore, the increase in stress among modern people can be seen as one of the main reasons why Koreans are turning to sweet desserts. Everyone has likely experienced the feeling of being in a better mood after eating something sweet at least once. The medical news portal MedicalXpress has published research findings stating that “sugar-sweetened beverages regulate the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that influences stress, and have the function of suppressing the brain’s stress response.” As this research demonstrates, the idea that sweetness improves one’s mood is not merely a feeling but a scientifically proven effect. This effect of sweetness provides comfort to many modern people navigating the harsh realities of daily life amid economic downturns and social anxiety, serving as a reason for them to seek out desserts.
The reason countless café districts have emerged in Korea is that many people naturally gravitate toward cafés—places where they can enjoy sweet desserts and take a break. Upon entering a café, the aroma of coffee and sweet desserts blends together to warmly welcome visitors. In these charming spaces, people temporarily escape their daily worries, savoring sweet desserts that delight both the eyes and the palate, and find comfort and psychological stability. Through these small indulgences at cafes, modern people are able to temporarily set down the burdens of their minds amidst an anxious reality, take a breather, and gain the strength and courage to carry on with life.
Ultimately, the popularity of cafes—which draw the weary modern crowd toward sweet desserts—can be seen as a reflection of people’s efforts to heal themselves.
