Jeonpo Coffee Festival marks a decade of Busan café lanes, Oct. 17–18

From tool shops to cafés

The Korea Tourism Organization describes Bujeon-dong and Jeonpo-dong as an area once known for shops selling tools, hardware and industrial supplies. Small cafés began arriving after 2010, and the area became known as Café Street.

Visit Busan notes that tool shops still operate alongside cafés and restaurants.

Dates and hours

This year’s festival, themed ‘커피로 잇는 전포의 10년’ (“ten years of Jeonpo connected by coffee”), runs October 17 and 18 around Jeonpo Café Street.

According to Busanjin-gu’s official notice, hours are noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The opening ceremony is at 4 p.m. on October 17 on a temporary stage beside Norimaru’s main gate. Sunday closes two hours earlier than Saturday.

The poster attached to the district notice gives the venue as Jeonpo Café Street around Jeonpo Norimaru, with the merchants’ associations of Jeonpo Café Street, Jeonpo Gongu-gil (tool street) and Jeonpo Saitgil cooperating. Busanjin-gu posted a 26-second promotional video on its official YouTube channel on October 7.

Overseas and market booths

Coffee and dessert vendors from Jeonpo and the wider Busan area will be joined by booths for invited baristas from Japan, Taiwan and elsewhere. Kookje Shinmun and other outlets reported that the overseas booths will feature coffee from Japan, Taiwan, Costa Rica and Ethiopia. The district notice also lists market booths.

Origins and roasts vary by booth, and no single origin or flavor is offered everywhere; each booth’s menu lists what it serves.

Classes and seminars

The Korea Tourism Organization lists hand-drip sessions, master brewing classes and barista seminars in this year’s program. Its festival page, updated September 30, also lists a coffee seminar, a ‘Coffee Golden Bell’ quiz, and hands-on booths for caricatures and hand-drip brewing classes.

As of the evening of October 15, session times, fees and sign-up methods had not been posted on official channels. The festival office can confirm times, capacity and fees.

Music and events

Busanjin-gu has announced Jeonpo Brewing Radio, Jeonpo Live Festa and a stamp tour. Kookje Shinmun also reported a Jeonpo Music Lounge and an event using receipts from local businesses.

The district notice lists a stamp tour, a ‘Black and White Barista’ event and a roulette game, and the Korea Tourism Organization page adds an auction. Participating shops and conditions for the stamp and receipt events will be posted on site.

Places nearby

Bao Haus (62-9 Seojeon-ro 38beon-gil), a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, serves Taiwanese bao and lu rou fan and does not take reservations. Cor Pasta Bar (2F, 13 Dongseong-ro 25beon-gil), also a Bib Gourmand, serves house-made pasta at an open-kitchen counter and requires one drink per person.

Cafés featured by Visit Busan include Fruto Fruta (28 Jeonpo-daero 224beon-gil) for peach smoothies and melon shakes; Cafe Haian (62-4 Seojeon-ro 46beon-gil), known for a ‘brick cake’ cracked open with a small mallet; and Sa, Yeobaek, Chatjan (20 Seojeon-ro 67beon-gil), a café styled like an old stationery shop that serves old-fashioned patbingsu. Expect crowds and possible changes to opening hours during the festival.

Getting there and contacts

The festival covers the area around Jeonpo-daero 209beon-gil in Busanjin-gu. Visit Busan gives 26 Jeonpo-daero 209beon-gil (부산 부산진구 전포대로209번길 26) as the Café Street address, a six-minute walk from Exit 7 of Jeonpo Station on Metro Line 2.

Entry is free; drinks and desserts at booths are paid separately. The organiser, at 051-605-4522, can answer questions about class fees and booking, overseas phone numbers and cards, English or Japanese assistance, and accessibility.

As of the evening of October 15, Busanjin-gu, the Korea Tourism Organization and Visit Busan had not announced road closures, shuttle buses or a wet-weather plan. Public transport is the simplest option.