Java aroma to fill air at Seoul Int'l Cafe Show

Official posters for this year's Seoul International Cafe Show

The 24th Seoul International Cafe Show in November will introduce the latest global coffee trends, connect businesses across the industry and select top baristas to compete in an international competition in Panama next year.

Held under the theme “One Cup, All Worlds,” the expo is scheduled to run from Nov. 19 to 22 at Coex in Seoul’s Gangnam District, and feature coffee alongside tea, bakery and dessert products.

Billed as the world’s largest business platform for the coffee industry, the event aims to revitalize the global coffee sector and the broader food and beverage culture.

Organizer Exporum said this year’s show will “propose new roads for those living in a world of uncertainty and new directions for the global coffee industry.”

At the show, Coffee Alley will showcase curated roastery cafes from around the world, and the World Coffee Leaders Forum will bring together international industry influencers dubbed “designers in gastronomy.”

The show will also host national qualifiers to select Korea’s representatives for the 2025 World Barista Championship in Panama City. Additional competitions will spotlight top coffee beans and roasters.

Another program, the Cafe Show Excellence Award, will give businesspeople the chance to promote their brands, products and stores while networking with industry peers.

“The show expands the conventional definition of coffee into new experiences, helping the industry broaden its market. It will be an opportunity for both businesses and consumers to discover fresh trends and opportunities,” an Exporum official said.