Page 69 - #62 eng e-mag

What Does it Take to Be an Idol with specialty coffee, it will be a challenge
for them to feel the vibe. Things work
By now Kangbin Lee has opened
Given the context of the specialty differently in the entertainment industry.
his own cafe, C-through, in Seoul’s
Iteawon, and it is one of the most coffee movement in the past decade, it A pretty face, a lovely voice, a powerful
trendy cafes in South Korea. The is not that hard to understand the reason performance, can all be received by far
delicate cream art takes him 15 behind it. James Hoffmann once de- away audience in their original format.
minutes to complete and the scribed the fundamental motivation for But for coffee, one will have to taste it to
coffees are sold for 10,000 won him, as well as for many other baristas, be convinced. Therefore, in order to pro-
($9.4) a cup. You can check more to devote themselves in this industry was mote that excellent cup of coffee or that
of his works in his Instagram brilliant barista, it will need to be con-
to product the best tasting cup of coffee
@leekangbin91
to the customer with the hope to create verted into something that is easier to
the revelatory moment on their tongue share with the mass audience.
which had once hit the baristas them- For example, there is a 25-year-old
selves. By saying that, the highly flavor South Korean barista called Kangbin Lee,
driven feature of the specialty coffee who is worldly well known for his “cream
industry defines coffee people’s ideal art” instead of ordinary latte art. If you
image of their idol baristas. The only think a phoenix latte art is something
thing matters for an idol is the expertise quite special, then Kangbin’s cup of coffee
in coffee. Another barrier for truly with Van Gogh’s Starry Night on top will
blending the general definition of an idol for sure blow your mind away. Articles
with that of the specialty coffee industry featured Kangbin and his cream art went
is precisely the flavor driven essence. wild online. All in a suddenly this South
One of the modern way to nurture Korean barista was seen on media sources
an idol is through the communica- from coffee to art, which were published
tion channel to spread the in- in many regions including almost the
fluence and reach more audi- whole Europe, the US, Australia, and Asia.
ence. But how to spread Furthermore, Kangbin is also described
specialty coffee and good as having the face and body of a model.
baristas? By putting in words The two factors combined to result in a
as “great taste coffee”? Or by long queue outside his own cafe, Cafe
showing pictures of a highly C.THROUGH in Seoul, waiting for a cold
technical brewing process? For cup of coffee costing 10,000 won ($8.71)
audience who are not familiar and taking 15 minutes to produce.

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