Food Guide
Upstanding Coffee in Haebangchon (HBC), Yongsan, Seoul
Lenu
January 9, 2023
In July, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hyde (31) opened Upstanding Coffee in Haebangchon’s (HBC) Shin Heung Art Market.
In Seoul, Hyde studied a Bachelor of Advanced Material and majored in nanotechnology and worked part-time ‘til he had an opportunity to go to Auckland, New Zealand. In New Zealand, Hyde fell in love with coffee.
Hyde was interested in living abroad, so he lived between Seoul, Auckland and Melbourne, Australia. In Auckland, Hyde worked in Gloria Jean’s Coffee and in Melbourne, he worked in Higher Ground Coffee and Upstanding Citizens. In New Zealand and Australia, people were open-minded and shared their knowledge regarding coffee; Hyde learnt a lot from his experienced ex-coworkers and friends.
In May, 2020, Hyde returned to Seoul, lost. He graduated with a Bachelor of Advanced Material with a major in nanotechnology and studied architecture and interior design. In Winter, 2020, Hyde discovered Shin Heung Art Market and Upstanding Coffee’s building, derelict. Hyde envisioned Upstanding Coffee. Hyde was influenced by New Zealand and Australia’s standing espresso bars. He was interested in creating connections between outside and inside and barista and customer because, ‘...it’s all about connections’. Hyde consulted design studio, The First Penguin (TFP) and created Upstanding Coffee. Hyde worked in Upstanding Citizens, Melbourne, Australia. Upstanding is ‘honest; respectable’ and Hyde wanted to emphasize his coffee, ‘Upstanding Coffee understands coffee, upstandingly’.
In condition, color, material, decoration and sound, Hyde put himself in Upstanding Coffee. In Upstanding Coffee’s environment, Hyde is himself, comfortably. In Upstanding Coffee’s atmosphere there is an upstanding passion and love of coffee; Hyde mentioned, ‘I love the smell when I first pour the coffee bean into the grinder in the morning; it gives me true pleasure’, smiling. Upstanding Coffee is Hyde’s second home.
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