This article looks at why iced Americano is so common in Korea and why so many foreigners find the habit interesting.
It also explores how this drink fits into everyday Korean cafe culture, from winter takeout coffee to casual conversations about “A-A.”
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| Iced Americano is often enjoyed with cake or pastries in Korean cafes. |
Start here: Why Are There So Many Cafes in Korea? A Look at Korean Cafe Culture
One day after work, I stopped by a Starbucks on my way home to grab a coffee. While waiting for my order, I noticed a foreign couple in front of me ordering iced Americanos. That moment felt a little surprising.
I had always assumed that many foreigners preferred stronger coffee drinks like espresso or lattes. Seeing them casually order iced Americano made me pause for a moment.
Later that evening at home, I became curious. What do foreigners actually think about Korea’s iced Americano culture?
So I started searching through Google and various Korea travel communities. Surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult to find posts from travelers and foreign residents in Korea who were curious about iced Americano—or who said they had started drinking it frequently after coming to Korea.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at why Koreans drink iced Americano so often and explore some of the questions and opinions foreigners have about this very common drink in Korea.
Why Has Iced Americano Become the Most Common Coffee in Korea?
If you visit cafes in Korea, one thing quickly stands out: many people order iced Americano.
Even though cafe menus offer a wide variety of drinks, iced Americano is often the drink people choose.
Over the past several years, the number of cafes in Korea has grown rapidly, and drinking coffee has become a normal part of everyday life. Meeting friends, taking a short break from work, or stopping by a cafe for a quick drink are all very common activities in Korea now.
In that environment, iced Americano naturally became a simple and convenient choice. Compared to many other drinks, it isn’t overly strong in flavor and is often reasonably priced, which makes it an easy option for many people.
Personally, one reason I often choose iced Americano is that it usually doesn’t contain sugar. It feels lighter to drink, and I can enjoy it without feeling too heavy.
Another reason is that iced Americano pairs well with desserts. When eating cake or pastries at a cafe, some coffee drinks have strong sweetness or flavor that can overpower the dessert. Iced Americano, on the other hand, has a cleaner taste, which sometimes makes it easier to notice the sweetness of the dessert itself.
Why Are Foreigners Surprised by Korea’s Iced Americano Culture?
When foreign travelers talk about cafe culture in Korea, iced Americano often comes up.
The reason is fairly simple: a lot of people seem to be drinking iced Americano.
If you take a moment to look around inside a cafe, you’ll often notice many customers holding iced Americanos. Even though there are many drinks on the menu, travelers sometimes comment that iced Americano appears on a surprising number of tables.
Another thing that often surprises foreigners is that people drink iced Americano even during winter.
In Korea, it’s not unusual to see people walking somewhere with an iced Americano in their hand, even when the weather is cold. Personally, I sometimes buy iced Americano to go during winter and drink it with coworkers at the office, so for many Koreans it doesn’t feel particularly unusual.
Some foreigners even mention that they rarely drank iced Americano before visiting Korea, but ended up drinking it quite often during their trip.
How Is Coffee Culture in Korea Different from Other Countries?
One topic that often appears when foreigners talk about Korean cafe culture is the difference in coffee styles.
I once saw a humorous YouTube video where a foreigner looked at a Korean iced Americano and jokingly said something like, “What are you doing to that coffee?” Of course the reaction was exaggerated for entertainment, but it also shows that the drink can seem a bit unusual to people who aren’t used to it.
For example, in the United States many people commonly drink drip coffee or lattes. In Korea, however, iced Americano appears much more frequently.
This difference may not simply be about menu choices. It also reflects the way coffee is consumed.
In Korea, coffee is often treated as a casual everyday drink rather than something to slowly savor for a long time. Because of that, a lighter and simpler drink like iced Americano naturally became very popular.
What Is “A-A”? A Korean Nickname for Iced Americano
In Korea, people sometimes shorten iced Americano to “A-A.”
This nickname comes from the Korean pronunciation of “아이스 아메리카노.”
However, it’s not actually very common to hear people say “A-A” when ordering at the counter. Most customers still order by saying something like “One iced Americano, please.”
The nickname “A-A” is more often used casually in conversation. For example, friends might ask each other what they want to drink, and someone might reply, “I’ll get an A-A.”
What Does Iced Americano Represent in Korean Cafe Culture?
In Korea, iced Americano is more than just a menu item. For many people, it has become a very casual everyday drink.
It’s common to order iced Americano when meeting friends at a cafe, studying, working on a laptop, or simply taking a short break.
Because of that, if you visit cafes in Korea, it can be interesting to look around and notice what people are drinking. You may find that quite a few people are holding iced Americanos.
And before you realize it, you may end up holding one yourself during your trip.
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