No. (7). The Coffee - Starbucks

I like the morning coffee most-it might be because I want to blow off my dim condition. I spent three cups of coffee a day in Korea. The coffee that I usually drunk in Korea was the instant coffee. It was the instant coffee mix with sugar and cream. We do not have the process of brewing. Our making coffee is simple;boiling water, put a pack of coffee mix into a cup, pour hot water, mix, and sip. The taste was a little bit strong.

The coffee trend has been changed since we imported the coffee brand "Starbucks" , etc. Before that time, the bending machines were the favorite and single ways we took coffee on the street or in the building. Ever since new take-out branches were incoming , people can drink various taste;coffee, mocha, espresso, latte, and so on. Take-out coffee branches have played a leading role in changing our drinking habits and coffee customs.

Starbucks has been holding a great deal of market share in take-out coffee industry in Korea but other branches , for example, Coffee Bean, another America's coffee chain, began breaking down Starbucks' stronghold;nevertheless, Starbucks defends their position.

Many people are fond of take-out coffee because of diverse tastes and economy of time;however, some people still feel antipathy against taking coffee from the Starbucks.

Not long ago, on the net, there was the heated controversy concerning drinking coffee at the Starbucks. That dispute started with one posting, humbling women frequently going to Starbucks. People argued back and forth.

The pro emphasized that drinking coffee is the individual freedom, so they could choose anything they like;individuals' tastes can not be blamed.

On the other hand, the cons asserted that the price is so expensive that it could not be considered as usual goods for tastes. Rather, custormers wanted to look differnet from others and felt(acted) like New Yorkers-I did not know why they introduced New Yorkers- by having Starbucks coffee. Many opponents called the customers-in particular, women-thoughtless luxury loving people.

It is true that frequent customers cause misunderstanding because they looked wasting much time talking, relaxing, and drinking expensive coffee. Some of them are wearing quite costly designers brand clothings and accessories. Moreover, since most of Starbucks furniture with gorgeous interior and they are placed in the key position of shopping centers, people looked Starbucks upon as somewhat luxury things far from normal lives. The arguement did not seem to be end yet, but became clam down.

In Korea, I also had an illusion about Starbucks, yet I woke from my reverie after flying over here. Unlike Starbucks in Korea, they have differnet images here. Just as we had coffee bending machines at every corner on the street, America's Starbucks are having the same function, I think.

I did not recognize first that people in the United States are crazy about coffee. It occurred to me that many people hold the coffee in their hands everywhere at all times. Even in early morning, I saw someone went out of the Starbucks with hot coffee.

They are truely loving-coffee people. It is not a surprising to see there are the grinding machines of coffee beans inside all supermarkets-like Vons- and wholesale trade markets- like Costco.

Everybody, regardless of gender, goes to Starbucks. Some of the Starbucks are worn out and aged. Some are not big enough to have seats, so people could just take out coffee. They are not like ours that have big, briliant, soft, and comfortable sofas. Anybody drinking coffee at the Starbucks are not blamed for being extravagant, except for political issues. In Korea, we could not imagine this.

All in all, they are the same Starbucks, but different in different countries depends on surrounding and an atmosphere. It is another interesting to me.