Park Young-soon, left, president of the Coffee Critics Association (CCA), holds handfuls of coffee beans with coffee farmer Juan Pablo Velez in Colombia in 2020. Courtesy of Park Young-soon

Korea is one of the biggest consumers of coffee in the world, with average coffee consumption reaching 405 cups per adult in 2023, according to market research firm Euromonitor. This is more than twice the global average of 152 cups.

For many Koreans, coffee is not just a beverage — it is a feeling, experience and lifestyle. Moreover, for Park Young-soon, it is an area of academic interest, which allows him to delve deeper into human nature. That is why Park, the president of the Coffee Critics Association (CCA), has devoted himself to studying coffee from a humanities perspective, becoming a trailblazer in this field.

"Coffee is a mirror reflecting human beings that helps you explore their essence and emotions," the 57-year-old said during an interview with The Korea Times at the CCA's headquarters in Geumcheon District, southwestern Seoul, April 9.

"When you drink coffee, you first savor it and then feel how it affects your body and mind," he explained. "You can perceive what is happening inside you and start a journey of self-discovery before using that knowledge to understand other people and sympathize with them. This is the gist of 'coffee humanities.'"

Park Young-soon, author and coffee enthusiast, hauls a sack of coffee beans with harvesters in Colombia in 2016. Courtesy of Park Young-soon

Coffee first piqued Park's interest in 2002 when he was working as a journalist for the Korean daily newspaper, the Segye Times. For several years, he covered different beverages such as wine, whiskey and tea, but eventually found himself captivated by coffee, which he now calls "the drink of his life."

"As I drank coffee, I naturally became curious about its roots and history," Park recalled. "So I began to dig deep into it, learning about various historic events related to coffee while contemplating its meaning and impacts. My love for coffee grew exponentially as I gained an understanding of its journey from bean to cup."

In 2011, he established the CCA to share his love for humanity through coffee and build a healthy coffee culture by providing accurate information and quality education.

"A healthy coffee culture should first consider the health of consumers," Park stressed. "Since last year, there has been a notable shift in trends, with more people prioritizing coffee's health benefits over taste. Many dissertations now discuss how much healthy ingredients can be added to a cup of coffee and how people can make cleaner coffee with fewer contaminants."

Park Young-soon, author and coffee enthusiast, adjudicates a coffee contest. Courtesy of Park Young-soon

Environmental sustainability also holds the key to a healthy coffee culture. According to Park, it takes approximately 140 liters of water to make a cup of 120-milliliter coffee, from bean farming to the consumer. He believes that reducing the water footprint and seeking more eco-friendly methods to produce coffee is not an option, but a must.

"If we just continue what we have been doing without improving our sustainability efforts, our next generation will lose the chance to enjoy coffee," he noted. "On top of that, it is also important to feel sympathetic joy while drinking coffee and sharing that experience with others."

Two years after setting up the CCA, Park quit his job as a journalist to focus on studying coffee. He headed to the Culinary Institute of America — one of the most prestigious cooking schools in the U.S. — and managed to create the Flavor Master course that teaches students how to evaluate and describe the flavors of a diverse range of food and drinks, including coffee. Since 2016, he has been an instructor of this course.

The year 2017 marked a major milestone in his career, with Park becoming the first Korean to be listed in the coffee category of Marquis Who's Who — an American biographical data provider celebrating the legacies of remarkable professionals worldwide. In the same year, he also became a best-selling author with his book, "Coffee Humanities," winning readers' hearts by suggesting a new approach that blends two seemingly unrelated topics.

"Thanks to the success of 'Coffee Humanities,' I will soon publish another book about coffee, which observes its link to psychology and philosophy," he said.

Coffee drips from the portafilter of an espresso machine. Courtesy of Park Young-soon

Another big project of Park and the CCA is the World Coffee Competition. Consisting of seven sections including the World Coffee Barista Championship and K-Coffee Awards, the competition intends to bring together coffee experts and industry insiders, so that they can set new criteria to define the best coffee for Koreans.

"To date, we have mostly referred to the evaluations of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) in the U.S. to discuss the quality of coffee," Park explained. "But why do we have to follow the standard that reflects the tastes of Americans or Europeans? I believe Korea needs its own criteria to discover the coffee that best suits the tastes of its own people."

Based on the new yardstick, Matti Foncha, the owner of a remote coffee farm in Alongsi, Cameroon, was picked as the winner of last year's K-Coffee Awards. Although Cameroon is not the most familiar coffee-producing country for the majority of Koreans, Park and the CCA concluded that Foncha's farm still provides the best coffee beans for them.

Matti Foncha, left, the owner of a coffee farm in Alongsi, Cameroon, was selected as the winner of the 2023 K-Coffee Awards. Courtesy of Coffee Critics Association (CCA)

This year, the World Coffee Competition is scheduled for May 11 in northeastern Seoul's Nowon District.

"My goal is to bring this competition to other Asian countries and raise its international profile," Park said, adding that Korea can spearhead the new movement in the coffee industry.

"China has a huge interest in coffee at the moment, seeking to develop it into an area of academic study," he said. "But I believe Korea still has the chance to take the lead. Dankook University in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, established the department of coffee at its graduate school in 2017, becoming the world's first university to do so. And coffee is one of the most beloved drinks for Koreans, who are known for being inquisitive and passionate. That is why I believe we can make breakthroughs."