Espresso in Everyday Life

Espresso in Everyday Life — Everyday Espresso

More and more of us are falling for espresso, a drink that takes barely 30 seconds to finish. We visited Orso Espresso Bar, a spot that feels like an Italian espresso bar transplanted to Seoul.

Words Parc Jinmyoung
Interviewee CEO Hong Taegi (Orso Espresso Bar)

Trends are remarkable things. Sometimes they even change our tastes. Espresso used to be far from a popular drink in Korea: bitter, served in tiny amounts, and drunk standing up. Didn’t we all assume that the price of a coffee included a fee for the seat? Yet at some point, people began to happily drink bitter coffee on their feet, and even line up to savor that brief moment. Experts say the espresso bar boom means that many people have finally begun to focus on the taste of coffee. There is some truth to that analysis, but I think atmosphere, more than flavor, has played a big part in the popularity of espresso bars. It’s the feeling of stopping by an espresso bar that could be in any Italian neighborhood and knocking back a shot in one gulp, just like a local. Orso Espresso Bar, in Seoul’s Huam-dong, is a place that focuses on the meaning and atmosphere of espresso bar culture.

Memo 1. A Little Espresso Bar on the Hill!

Please introduce Orso Espresso Bar.
We opened in June 2021, just as espresso bars were starting to become popular in Korea. ‘Orso’ means bear in Italian. I chose the name because it sounds nice when paired with ‘Espresso Bar.’

What led you to open an espresso bar?
I worked in coffee manufacturing for a long time, doing everything from roasting to delivery, and I had been preparing for years to open a shop of my own. At the time, Lisar Coffee near Yaksu Station was just becoming the talk of the town, so I visited often, and it was exactly what I had pictured: a place where anyone can drop in, chat with the owner, and, when you’re in a hurry, down a coffee in one gulp and head out. I loved that kind of espresso bar culture.

How did you end up settling in Huam-dong?
Honestly, I didn’t know Huam-dong well before opening. I wandered all over Seoul and found that this neighborhood fit my budget and the atmosphere I wanted, so I came here. Above all, I loved the layout of the shop, with glass walls on three sides. I signed the lease without knowing anything about the local market, but it turned out the neighborhood has kept its distinctive character. I’m happy that we’ve become a true neighborhood café, where people drop in on their way past for a cup of coffee.

I imagine that just having a café like this brings some life to the neighborhood.
Our regulars say that a lot. Every time I hear it, it gives me a lot of strength.

What did you pay the most attention to in the interior?
Originally I wanted to focus on the bar and run the place standing-only. But standing cafés were still rare back then, and I thought customers might feel awkward. With stools at the bar, guests can stay a little longer and chat with us more easily, so the atmosphere feels more intimate.

Memo 2. The Espresso Bar Boom

At some point, espresso bars started popping up everywhere.
I think the market expanded starting with Lisar Coffee. Before that, many people believed a small café with limited space and few seats, especially a standing one, could never be a big success. Lisar Coffee’s unexpected success created a market, and that’s how we got started too.

What sets Orso Espresso Bar apart?
First of all, we wanted to be customer-friendly. For the person running the shop, having few seats or none at all makes things easier to manage, but customers naturally prefer plenty of seating and a relaxed space. I think we found a good middle ground between the distinctive character of an espresso bar and a comfortable space.

Espresso bars are a culture that began in Italy. What appealed to you about it?
Honestly, the atmosphere impressed me more than the taste of the coffee. I found it appealing, and even envied, that there were places woven so deeply into daily life that neighbors would pass by, have a quick cup of coffee, and go on their way.

Do you think Orso Espresso Bar reflects that well?
Now that espresso bars are trendy, many customers come on purpose on weekends. That sometimes makes it hard for the neighbors who usually come by. It can’t be helped, but it does leave me feeling a little sorry.

How can we get the most out of Orso Espresso Bar?
Before espresso bars became popular, people thought of espresso as a bitter, strong drink. So I created the menu hoping everyone could enjoy it without preconceptions. We use beans we roast ourselves so that the rich, nutty flavor stands out, and we offer a variety of espresso-based drinks, such as a granita made from ground frozen coffee and a marocchino topped with foam and cocoa powder.

Memo 3. A Space Resembles Its Owner

Which espresso bars do you like?
I like Lisar Coffee, but I also like Reissue Coffee Roasters in Yeonnam-dong. Lately I often go to Hangang Espresso in Mangwon-dong. Among overseas espresso bars, the one I remember best is Café Brazileiro in Fukuoka, Japan. It impressed me because you can enjoy dark-roasted, intense coffee alongside creamy desserts.

What do they have in common?
I think I like shops that pull classic espresso. When beans with bright acidity are extracted poorly, they can feel overwhelming. I definitely prefer the classic and old-fashioned to current trends like specialty coffee.

Is there a travel destination you’d like to visit?
I’ve actually never been to Italy. I’d like to go to Naples, known as the ‘capital of espresso,’ and experience its espresso bars. I would love to try the Strapazzato (a Neapolitan-style espresso topped with cacao powder) at the famous Gambrinus.

What’s your favorite place in Huam-dong?
I often go to No Limit Coffee, which you can see right across from us. It opened not long after we did, and it serves hand-drip specialty beans with bright acidity, a completely different style from ours. I stop by now and then to have coffee and talk. The owner often visits our shop too, and rather than competing, we support each other. I think that spirit of mutual benefit is another charm of Huam-dong.

What kind of place do you want to become?
A place that becomes part of everyday life for the neighbors, and one that visitors from elsewhere want to come back to. That’s what I hope for.

Memo 4. Espresso bars are so popular right now that I wanted to cover one. Rather than a conceptual space heavily styled as Italy or Europe, I searched for an espresso bar that blends naturally into its neighborhood. Orso Espresso Bar is what I found. I can’t help wondering what this space, so full of Huam-dong’s warmth, will look like once time leaves its mark.