The History of Korean Dabang: A Tumultuous Century in a Cup of Coffee

Exploring the fascinating chronology of Korean dabang, spaces that transcended simple teahouses to embody the culture and ideology of their times.

• Where was Korea’s first dabang, and how did coffee culture begin?
• How dabang transformed from artists’ retreats to centers of youth culture
• The evolution from traditional dabang to today’s modern cafes

Dabang (茶房) was not merely a place to drink tea or coffee. Understanding the history of Korean dabang is akin to grasping a social stage that nurtured the culture and ideas of an era as a ’third place’ beyond home and workplace, traversing a turbulent history. Despite its name meaning ’tea room,’ the history of dabang is closely tied to coffee, a symbol of modernism.

Once elite social clubs and artists’ sanctuaries, sometimes political exile spots and youth liberation zones, and eventually evolving into today’s modern cafes, the story of dabang reflects Korea’s modernization over the past century.

Chapter 1: Dawn of a New Era – The Beginning of Dabang Culture

The origins of Korean coffee and dabang are intertwined with many stories, making it hard to pinpoint exactly, but each ‘first’ reveals different facets of Korean society facing modernity.

A Beverage for the Emperor

The story begins within palace walls. Coffee, called ‘gabye (珈琲)’ or ‘yangtang-guk (洋湯菊),’ was first introduced to Korea’s highest elite during the Korean Empire. Emperor Gojong was known as a coffee enthusiast, enjoying it at Deoksugung’s Jeonggwanheon pavilion. The 1898 “Kim Hong-ryuk poisoning incident” highlights how rare and politically charged coffee was as an elite symbol at the time.

The Diplomat’s Salon – Sontag Hotel

Often cited as Korea’s first coffee house, the Sontag Hotel, run by German woman Antoinette Sontag around 1902, served as a social space for foreign diplomats and Korean high officials. It was essentially a political stage for the elite, differing in nature from later public dabang.

Competing ‘Firsts’ – Two Cafes

So where was the first dabang for the general public? For a long time, it was believed to be ‘Futami (二見),’ opened by a Japanese person in Chungmuro in 1923. However, a November 3, 1909 article in the Hwangseong Newspaper revealed a Japanese-run ‘Kissaten (喫茶店)’ near Namdaemun Station, rewriting history.

Yet the true turning point in Korean dabang history was 1927’s ‘Kakadu,’ opened by film director Lee Kyung-son in Gwanhun-dong. It was the first modern dabang established and operated by Koreans, aiming to be a pure cultural exchange space, unlike Japanese-style cafes that sold alcohol, setting the prototype for Korean dabang culture.

Early Dabang History and Features

Chapter 2: The Tumultuous 1930s – Avant-Garde Salons

The 1920s and 30s were the golden age when dabang became the true center of Korean modernism. These dabang were cultural projects planned and directed by artist-owners themselves.

The Artist’s Hideout: Birth of ‘Kakadu’

Film director Lee Kyung-son’s ‘Kakadu’ was itself a work of art, featuring candlelight, Indian-style hemp tablecloths, and traditional Bongsan mask decorations. It hosted real cultural events like a centennial discussion on Tolstoy’s birth.

Meeting of Classic and Modern: ‘Nakrang Parlor’

Opened in 1932 by artist Lee Soon-seok, ‘Nakrang Parlor’ expressed a will to create Korean modernism. It was a designated seat for the literary group ‘Guinhoe (Nine Persons Society)’ and a favorite spot for poet Yi Sang and novelist Park Tae-won. Park’s famous work “A Day in the Life of Novelist Kubo” features this place.

The Poet’s Melancholy Stage: ‘Jebi Dabang’

In 1933, genius poet Yi Sang opened ‘Jebi Dabang’ in Jongno. Also an architect, he used full glass fronts to break boundaries between inside and outside, a modernist attempt. His lover Geumhong was the madam. Though reflecting Yi Sang’s literary world, the dabang failed financially and closed after about two years.

Chapter 3: Ashes and Canvas – Postwar Korean Dabang

After the Korean War, 1950s dabang shifted from refined salons of modernists to essential survival spaces and sanctuaries for artists amid ruins.

A City of Ruins, Culture in Refuge

With cultural infrastructure destroyed by war, dabang filled the void as multipurpose spaces. Painters held exhibitions; writers received manuscript requests. Dabang became more than meeting places—they were battlefields for survival.

Myeongdong Romance – The World of Lee Jung-seop

Painter Lee Jung-seop’s tragic life symbolized dabang’s role then. He frequented dabang like ‘Dolce’ and ‘Mona Lisa’ in Myeongdong and ‘Milda-won’ in Busan, burning his last artistic spirit.

• Art for Survival: An anecdote where he handed a fellow painter white paint as a signal of hunger shows dabang as a minimal safety net and solidarity space for artists.
• Temporary Canvas: Unable to afford paper, he painted on cigarette pack foil found in dabang, proving dabang provided the minimal physical space for art amid poverty.
• Human Side of Artists: Wearing bandages to tame stiff hair, dabang was a close-knit community sharing not only artists’ struggles but their everyday humanity.

Postwar dabang was a crucible not just for artistic experimentation but for sheer survival.

Chapter 4: A Generation’s Voice – Music, Youth, and Revolution

From the 1950s to the 1980s, dabang became the center stage for youth culture and political resistance, evolving into music dabang filled with intellectuals and youthful energy.

Classroom 25, ‘Hakrim Dabang’

Opened in 1956 in Daehangno, ‘Hakrim Dabang’ was a beloved spot for Seoul National University students, nicknamed ‘Classroom 25.’ Especially during the 1970s-80s military dictatorship, Hakrim was a secret meeting place and hotbed of debate for student democracy activists. The 1981 ‘Hakrim Incident’ proved this dabang’s indelible mark on Korea’s democratization history.

DJ Behind Glass – The Era of Music Dabang

The 1970s were the heyday of music dabang. When personal audio devices were rare, music dabang were the only places to hear the latest foreign pop LPs. DJs inside glass ‘music boxes’ played requested songs with witty commentary, acting as cultural curators of the time.

Chapter 5: Fading Light and New Dawn – A Great Divergence

In the late 1980s and 1990s, as Korean society rapidly changed, the era of traditional dabang gradually ended.

The End of an Era

The spread of home audio systems and CD players, along with new entertainment venues like karaoke and arcades, squeezed dabang’s position. The emerging ‘coffee shops’ with bright, modern interiors and self-service catered to new generations, dividing dabang as the old generation’s space and coffee shops as the new generation’s.

Dark Shadow – The Rise of ‘Ticket Dabang’

Some dabang, losing out in competition, resorted to irregular businesses called ’ticket dabang.’ Female employees called ‘reji’ charged hourly fees to accompany customers, engaging in quasi-prostitution, severely damaging the image of ‘dabang’ for decades.

The Final Transformation – Starbucks’ Arrival

The traditional dabang era closed with the arrival of Starbucks, which opened its first store near Ewha Womans University in 1999. Franchise cafes led by Starbucks spread efficiency, standardized taste, and a new ’takeout’ culture, dismantling the complex functions dabang once held.

Comparison: Two Pillars of 1970s Dabang Culture

Though both called ‘dabang,’ Hakrim Dabang and music dabang had clearly different roles and characters, reflecting two distinct desires in Korean society at the time.

Conclusion

The history of Korean dabang is more than a history of beverage trends; it is a mirror reflecting societal changes. The roots of today’s cafe culture are steeped in the intense lives of the past century.

• Key Takeaways

  1. ‘Third Place’: Dabang was more than a commercial venue; it was a vital social stage embodying the culture and ideas of its time.
  2. Portrait of an Era: Constantly evolving to meet the demands of the times—as artists’ salons, democratization forums, and youth liberation spaces.
  3. Legacy of Spirit: Although traditional dabang forms have vanished, their spirit as spaces for creativity and exchange lives on in countless cafes today.

When I carry my laptop to a cafe today, I feel it is not so different from artists seeking inspiration in dabang of the past. Next time you visit a cafe, why not reflect on this fascinating history contained in a cup of coffee? Share in the comments what ‘cafe’ means to you!