Starbucks in Insadong
Starbucks in Insadong is the only one branch in the world whose main sign is written in the country's mother tongue. Insadong, a traditional district in Seoul, is keen to preserve its traditional atmosphere, though the actual circumstance is quite commercialised, and therefore initially didn't approve Starbucks' application to open their branch in this golden place. I'm not sure how the negotiation went, but eventually Starbucks made its wish come true under the condition of setting up its sign on the entrance written in Korean. You made it, Starbucks, but I am not happy at all with your achievement, you ugly octopus!
Labels:
Café
12 comments:
Not sure if you don't like Starbucks or the building? I like their coffee but wouldn't go out of my way for a cup.
Brookville Daily Photo
it is a well-known fact that Starbucks is involved in exploiting young children (as their slavers) in third-world countries. like someone said, “ drinking their coffee is drinking children’s blood..”
I like Starbucks because whenever I go there to get a latte or any other drink, the taste is always consistent. By the way, I've added a link to your excellent blog! Feel free to add mine to your links if you wish! :)
youngsin: although what you mentioned about SBUX may be true, that can be said of Nike, Gap, Adidas, Puma, and any other big brand clothing company. There is exploitation everywhere so it's not just SBUX!
Oh, yeah, the taste of their coffee is always consistent: bad.
And it's not only the bad tasting coffee but everything they serve there is bad for your health and extremely caloric.
Last time I went there (because there was no other coffee shop around) I ordered a "latte" and I had to ask them to reheat it because it was barely warm and she said "I just made it, it should be hot enough." Yes, consistent bad taste and bad service...
It was hard to understand your caption for a reason: we don't have that brand. At all.
Reading again your caption and what Fénix said, I feel lucky, isn't it? ^-^
So that's how Starbucks is written in Korean ...
Personally, I don't like Starbucks coffee but I do appreciate the cafes because they let people hang out, meet with friends and never chase people out.
when it comes to exploitation, there's off course no excuse but we have to consider ourserselves part and deal of the big wheel ... which might better slow down a bit ... to give comfort to the globe; humanity from north to south
.. " power to the peaceful "
I hear you. Although, i am kind of sympathetic about Starbucks. Ok, I don't really like coffee, which probably why I like their latte (it's a lot of milk with a little coffee). But I can only admire how they grew from a little shop in Seattle to this empire, while remaining somewhat "small" in spirit. I think the original creators are still there. And just for that I am rooting a bit for them (my parents are entrepreneurs and i can only admire a commercial success started small). But I hear you when you are not happy they got that conveited spot. I remember a huge controversy years ago when Mc Donals intended to set shop in one of the historical buildings in the Groote Markt in Brugge. Belgium is the only country in the world where Mc Do is not the number one fast food chain - we have our own named Quick. So that fueled the issue as well.
Abraham - Since I don't drink coffee, I cannot say anything about Starbucks' coffee. I don't like their too much aggressvive marketing strategies.
Youngsin - I heard about that, too. Sad story.
Gdog - Thank you for visiting my blog and adding a link to it. I've once read your blog inked to Han's DPB. You have a very interesting view on what's happening in Korea.
Bleu - It's awful you had such a bad experience.
Fabrizio - Yes, lucky you!
BW - More precisely, 'Starbucks Coffee'
Ming - You're right. Except when they should close the door, I haven't seen them asking people to leave.
Willem - I agree with you.
Eliane - I didn't know that Quick came from Belgium. Thought it was French. I wouldn't have been happy if I had seen the golden arches in Groote Markt, which is incredibly beautiful. I do recognise Starbucks' huge success but, like you mentioned, I don't like the fact that I 'have to' see the stars almost everywhere.
Let's see: a tidy shopfront with pleasant green letters in Hangul. A warm yellow interior, people sitting inside talking. A place to go in out of the weather and drink coffee or sit around for as long as you want, that also promotes Fairtrade coffee. What a horrible thing, I can see why people would hate that.
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