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Coffee, turning point “The last summer, in the world champion- father of two children, but also a father of
As said above, coffee has permeated ship in Italy, we proposed that in 2017 the 60-70 students in the school. Because his
naturally in our daily lives whenever we competition should be held in Korea. Not students have the potential to be leaders of
meet with someone or study, not omissible the result yet, but we expect a positive coffee market of Korea, he is trying to be
at work, even in traveling-giving sweet rest answer.” He added some explanation with like a father and guidance of them as well
and little memory. Before Lee started coffee a few reasons. “2017 is the 10th year after as a comfortable professor, from which we
job, he was also with coffee in his daily lives the Korean national Baristas were selected got the sense of his love to his student.
naturally. Lee majored photography in col- and sent to the world championship 2008.
lege and visited abroad over 70 countries to 10 years, either in the west or the east, it What he wants for coffee people
make his works, where he drank wine and is such a meaningful time.” He delivered his message, “If you
coffee in his daily life. After graduation as He expressed his resolution, “And, want to be a great writer, you need three
he worked as a professor and photographer according to the statistics of the last year, things: a lot of reading, a lot of writing, and
he held the exhibitions over 100 times and Korea is one of the 10 largest coffee import- a lot of thinking. Like everything else, cof-
exerted his ability as an artist. However, ing countries. Now is the time consuming fee is the same. Drinking a lot, extracting
he met a turning point when he worked as amount and level of coffee in Korea are a lot, and thinking a lot.” He said he feels
a photography professor over 10 years. In increasing, and it can be an opportunity sorry that people want good coffee, but
80-90s the photography department was so to present the level of coffee in Korea they do not think in broad way. President
promising that many student favored, but over the world, which is out goal” And Lee took the new turning point of his life
after 2000, with changing to digital way, he also added that hopefully it could be to coffee based on his long experiences as a
there was a stagnant time more and more in an opportunity for young Korean baristas photographer. Now he is a professor and the
photography department. Then he decided or coffee people to raise themselves to a President of Korean Coffee Association, he
to study coffee which he had enjoyed in his higher standard. He delivered his thought, has kept his solid values through his many
daily life when traveling the world. Now, “As for ten years we have grown up like and different thoughts and experiences.
he is a professor in hotel beverage and this since establishment, I am sure from As he has the passion more than anyone
bakery department in Chungbuk Health & the 11th year we are going to have a mo- else to struggle for raising talented persons
Science University and also the president tive to leaf up to a higher stage by having and develop the coffee industry, we could
of KCES. more ambitious dream.” Finally, he said he expect the hope of the future of Korean
had another big dream for the community coffee.
The goals of KCES to construct an official building where
KCES is hosting the barista qualifi- more and more coffee people and business
cation tests, raising coffee leaders, hosting people exchanges each other in different
the competition to select national baristas, and comfortable ways, and expressed the
and academic and educational activities of hope the dream would be surely become
different contents. Lee who has engaged true.
in KCES since establishment until now has
been elected as the president this year, and “Make a beautiful world opening with
is showing more strong will for the goals coffee” It is the slogan of KCES and
that he has dreamed. President Lee
First, he is pursuing to upgrade President Lee continually makes
the barista qualification test from a pri- efforts to service happy and tasteful coffee Lee Sang-Gyu
vate certificate to national approved one. and think of how consumers could enjoy it - Master Degree of Photographic Design
President Lee showed his strong will, “This eventually. “Sometimes I feel sorry for the in Hongik Graduate School
year it has been three years. The second tendency to see coffee too much around - 1994-1999 Professor in the photo-
degree of barista certificate which began the forms, such as roasting or extracting graphic art department in Jeju Tourism
Nov. 2005 first is now so much popular ways. I hope you would enjoy coffee more College
that huge lots of people are rushing to get generously.” In order to enjoy coffee in - 1999-2005 Professor in the photo-
the certificate. Certainly it is a certificate different ways, KCES has the plan of this graphic art department in Chungbuk
with public reliability and brand value. year, including encouraging local com- Public Health and Science University
All the results are the outcomes from the munities or group buying of raw beans or - 2006~ Professor in the department of
community members’ efforts. We are going other coffee goods, which will improve hotel beverage and bakery in Chungbuk
to challenge again to make the certificate material satisfaction of the members. And Public Health and Science University
to national approved one” And KCES is a plan is in the proceed to release quarterly - Photography Exhibitions – 3 times in
studying more the surrounding subjects newsletters and make an website where the private/over 100 times collective
like tea master related to coffee, water som- members can take part in activities, hiring, - 2007-2008 office director of Korea
melier, and flavor evaluating, and planning or job seeking, and feel satisfaction at least Coffee Education System
the related certificates. However, despite a little bit more. In addition, President Lee - 2009-2010 Vice President of Korea
of these efforts, there was a criticism that shows his aspiration that he will focus on Coffee Education System
there was no qualitative development leading all the members either in academy - 2011-2014 Chief Vice President of
other than quantitative one. President Lee or in the industry together, not only on Korea Coffee Association
expressed the strong will to make efforts education. - 2008-2014 Chief Organizer of the
for qualitative development for the next President Lee, working as a profes- National Barista Championship for
a few years. sor, said his another big dream to make World Barista Championship
Second, he is pursuing to host the the school a place where students could - 2015~ President of Korean Coffee
Word Barista Championship 2017 in Korea happily come and go to. At home he is a Association

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