The Best Korean Instant Coffee: Everything You NEED To Know To Buy Some

Mmmm coffee. It’s delectable. If you’re a coffee connoisseur and you’re headed to Korea, you can’t miss the coffee sticks, or instant coffee, that can be found just about everywhere. Sure, there are a ton of amazing cafes to visit in Seoul, and traditionally Korea was all about the tea, but there’s a whole coffee culture you won’t learn about at a cafe.

As a connoisseur, you may scoff at the instant coffee, but you shouldn’t. Coffee only really exploded into the Korean market in the early 2000s and it was instant coffee that did it. There are even instant coffee vending machines in subway stations and on street corners. Everyone drinks instant coffee at some point in Korea and you should too! Here is what you should know about Korean instant coffee.

I love coffee. Do you? Here is everything you need to know to buy some Korean instant coffee:

• What Is Instant Coffee
• The History of Instant Coffee In Korea
• How To Make Instant Coffee
• Is Instant Coffee Bad For My Health
• The Best Korean Instant Coffee
  • Maxim
  • KimlyParc
  • Ediya Coffee Beanist
  • KANU
  • Jardin
  • French Cafe

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.)

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Last year the Dalgona coffee challenge swept the world. And because of it, my cupboard was once again stocked with instant coffee for a time as I whipped up the coffee treat. Actually, since then, there has been a spot for the good ‘ole instant stuff. A delightfully sweet concoction, well the ones I purchase, instant coffee sachets are a Korean staple everyone has and even enjoys.

I remember the first time I ever had that Dixie cup of instant coffee in Korea. I wasn’t quite sure why it was so small because I was used to large American coffee cups. That said, I gulped it down and have come to enjoy instant coffee from time to time. Is it an every time drink? Not to me, but in a pinch it’s great. Or, when you’ve got friends over and just one wants coffee, it’s awesome.

The first time my mother visited Korea, I had her stay in my apartment since I was moving out and so she could have it to herself. It didn’t have much inside so I stocked it with instant coffee and I remember her specifically commenting on how good it was. It just isn’t common to have instant coffee sticks in the US but maybe it should be.

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What Is Instant Coffee

Derived from coffee beans, instant coffee is made by roasting and grounding coffee beans and then freeze drying them which creates a longer shelf life.

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The History of Instant Coffee in Korea

According to the International Coffee Organization (ICO), in 2017, Korea imported 138,960 tons of green coffee amounting to 1.5% of the total world consumption. Korea’s coffee market is booming… but that wasn’t always the case.

Coffee was first introduced to Korea during the Joseon period. Coffee was served to King Gojong, the 26th Joseon king who reigned from 1863 to 1907, and the rest is history. Oh wait, that’s why you’re reading this… Once the king had tried after dinner coffee, it became a staple that was offered to Western diplomats at Gyeongbokgung Palace from 1884. Actually, Joseon was open to world trade from 1882 starting with the US and then the UK, Germany, France, and Russia so it makes sense that coffee started making its way in around this time.

Coffee filtered down (pun intended) to the commoners where it was immediately accepted. The Dongnip Sinmun, a Korean newspaper, even had a whole advertisement on March 20, 1897 for Indonesian Java coffee and then ads for new cafes and coffee shops started appearing. Coffee took off… but where did instant coffee come in?

Coffee had gained traction in the market and during the Korean War, Americans in the region introduced instant coffee to the Korean people. Dongsuh Food even obtained a license to produce Maxwell House instant coffee here in the 1960s.

But in 1976, it was actually a Korean company that invented instant coffee mix packets that contained the coffee, sugar, and powdered milk. Makes sense why it’s so popular here now, doesn’t it? From there, the instant coffee vending machines made their way into offices and universities and it became a rather lucrative business to provide instant coffee to the public.

Today, Koreans don’t just consume 512 cups on average annually, they learn about and study coffee. There are even coffee schools here just for tasting and for baristas. Today, Korea has the highest number of coffee tasters and specialty coffee shops in the world.

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How To Make Instant Coffee

While that dalgona coffee challenge of last year might suggest you need to whip and whip and whip some more. You indeed do not have to at all to get a good cup of coffee.

1. Tear the top of the sachet on the ‘easy cut’ line.
2. Pour the coffee mixture into a cup, a paper Dixie cup if you want to go truly Korean style.
3. Boil water.
4. Pour the water, once hot, onto the coffee and stir. Usually 1 sachet works best with about 4 oz. of water. I tend to use two sachets and 8 oz. of water when I drink it though.

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Is Instant Coffee Bad For My Health

After pouring out the ingredients of the instant coffee sachet, you might wonder if it’s even healthy. According to Nielson findings, Koreans drink 300 cups of instant coffee a year on average. So, what is it exactly?

• Instant coffee actually has the same, and sometimes more, antioxidants than filtered coffee.
• Instant coffee contains the antioxidant methylpyridinium. This anticancer compound, which can be found in caffeinated, decaffeinated and instant coffee products,  has been linked to preventing colon cancer.
• Instant coffee usually contains more calories than a normal cup of Joe due to the sugar and creamers added.
• European studies have shown that regular coffee consumption may lead to increased serum cholesterol levels. These same increases are not found with instant coffee because the substances that cause them, cafestol and kahweol, are mostly removed during the creation of instant coffee.
• A benefit for some, but a detriment to others though, is that instant coffee usually has less caffeine.

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The Best Korean Instant Coffee

There are numerous instant coffee brands to choose from in Korea and it really comes down to taste when you go shopping. A large box of instant coffee might even make for a great gift in Korea if you’re headed to someone’s house.

Or if you’re abroad, you can even get Korean instant coffee online for those Korea lovers that need a gift. Not only is it affordable, but these days, it’s super tasty too and perfect for that quick coffee fix no matter where you are. It’s a great staple to take along from the office out to a camping trip too. Here are the most popular Korean instant coffee products to try.

Maxim

What To Know: This is the top selling instant coffee brand in Korea. You’ll see those yellow sticks everywhere from office shelves to school teacher’s rooms. It’s everywhere.

The Most Popular Drink: You can buy Maxim Mocha Gold Mild on Amazon.com

The coffee has just 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of sugar, and 50mg of caffeine. This is the most common one out there so I’ve had my ample share. It’s got that coffee taste a coffee lover would like with a touch of cream. It’s a smooth light taste. It actually isn’t my personal favorite, but because it is so abundant, I definitely drink it fairly often.

KimlyParc

What To Know: A modern recreation of the classic 90s Korean instant coffee, KimlyParc, named after the three most common last names in Korean, Kim, Lee, and Park, since they hope that everyone will enjoy a good cup of mixed coffee. They are definitely making mixed coffee cool… and VEGAN! Just to highlight that a bit more, KimlyParc is the only vegan option on this list. They use quality ingredients that include organic cane sugar, Himalayan pink salt, and vegan creamer. The result is a very nice and smooth tasting afternoon pick-me-up. 

The Most Popular Drink: You can buy KimlyParc Original Korean Latte on Amazon.com or on the KimlyParc website.

They not only have the cutest packaging among the brands of mixed coffee on this list, but they’re working to create more sustainable packaging by using FSC-certified paper and soy-based ink for boxes and composite material for packets. This newcomer to the Korean mixed coffee field is definitely one to watch. 

Ediya Coffee Beanist

What To Know: Ediya is one of the representative coffee brands in Korea and has the largest number of stores in Korea among all of the local and international coffee franchises including Starbucks. It’s no wonder that the F&B chain decided to jump into the instant coffee market. Their coffee is really quite nice and has a nutty chocolate flavor that isn’t too bitter.

The Most Popular Drink: Ediya Coffee Beanist Original on Amazon.com

I prefer Ediya cafes over other big brands when I’m out and about and love their instant coffee too.

KANU

What To Know: Kanu specializes in cafe-style coffee and aim to give their customers a specialty coffee experience at home. The packets for this brand make it stand out a bit as they’re actually much smaller than the others so they can fit right in a pocket if you’re on the go.

Kanu is actually owned by the same company that owns Maxim, but they’re not considered in the same family of brands at all. The packaging makes this a better gifting option as well.

The Most Popular Drink: You can buy Kanu Dark Roast Americano on Amazon.com

This dark roast, zero sugar and milk instant coffee is bitter and rich. As mentioned, there is no sugar or milk added so this is the best option for the coffee lovers that just like it black without any creams or sweeteners.

French Cafe

What To Know: This coffee stick brand uses skim milk made by Namyang Milk Company. The biggest difference from this and other brands is in the fact that they use skim milk opposed to creamers like the other brands. Besides that, this one is similarly smooth and creamy like the Maxim Mocha Gold so if you like that one but would prefer nonfat milk, then this would be a good alternative for you.

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Instant coffee is a Korean staple and you’ll find it just about everywhere you go. Definitely try it while you’re here or try it while you’re abroad to see what everyone in Korean dramas is always sipping.

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