Dictionary — Entry No. 0693
커피
keopi · noun
커피
keopi
[KUH-pee]
nounbeginner
Meaning
커피 is the Korean word for coffee, borrowed from English via Japanese. Korea has one of the highest coffee consumption rates per capita in the world, and coffee culture — from sleek Seoul cafés to beloved convenience store canned coffee — is woven into every layer of Korean daily life.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
Korean café culture is inseparable from K-Drama aesthetics: characters confess, argue, and fall in love over 커피 in stylish Seoul coffee shops. aespa’s members have made their love of iced Americano (아이스 아메리카노) a signature part of their public persona, reflecting idol culture’s deep ties to coffee. The classic drama ‘Coffee Prince’ (커피프린스) built its entire plot around a café, cementing 커피 as a K-Drama staple.
Example Sentences
커피 한 잔 할래요?
Keopi han jan hallaeyo?
Would you like a cup of coffee? (a classic K-Drama line that doubles as an informal invitation to spend time together)
저는 아이스 아메리카노를 제일 좋아해요.
Jeoneun aiseu ameriganoreul jeil joahaeyo.
I like iced Americano the most. (Korea’s most popular coffee order — drunk year-round, even in winter)
커피 없이는 못 살아!
Keopi eopsineun mot sara!
I can’t live without coffee! (a hyperbolic expression of caffeine dependency, extremely common among Koreans)
⚠️ Don’t use keopi when…
Koreans drink iced coffee (아이스 커피) year-round — ordering hot coffee can feel unusual in casual settings. Also, 커피믹스 (instant 3-in-1 coffee packets) is a genuine and beloved staple of Korean home and office life; never dismiss it as ‘not real coffee’ to Korean friends.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Coffee Prince (커피프린스) — the 2007 romantic drama set entirely in a Seoul coffee shop helped define modern café culture in Korean pop culture and remains one of the genre’s most beloved classics.
- K-Pop: aespa — Spicy
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.