Starbucks Korea said on the 24th that it held the "2026 Coffee Ambassador Cup" at the Starbucks Support Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 21st. It selected one person as the 22nd coffee ambassador, the top coffee expert representing Starbucks for next year.
On the same day, it also held the "Byuldabang Expo," the largest year-round coffee festival for partners, giving Starbucks coffee experts and partners time to share coffee experiences and strengthen their capabilities.
Each year, Starbucks holds the "Coffee Ambassador Cup," a competition that selects one barista in each country with the most outstanding coffee knowledge and passion. In Korea, since 2004, it has selected a coffee ambassador every year and carried out a variety of internal and external activities.
This year, through the "2026 Coffee Ambassador Cup," Starbucks finally selected Kim Do-hyung, a coffee expert at the Samseong-dong store, as the 22nd coffee ambassador.
For this coffee ambassador selection, Starbucks accepted voluntary applications from partners nationwide and held preliminary and final rounds that included a coffee knowledge test, coffee extraction and storytelling, and latte art.
Kim Do-hyung, the 22nd coffee ambassador selected as the final winner, said, "Based on the know-how and skills I have accumulated as a coffee master, I will strive to communicate on the ground with partners and become a coffee ambassador who spreads positive influence."
Ambassador Kim will begin a full-fledged term as coffee ambassador starting next year and is expected to continue various internal and external activities to promote Starbucks Korea's coffee moments.
On the same day, Starbucks also held the "Byuldabang Expo," the largest year-round coffee seminar for in-house partners. Following the first event last year, this second event drew about 400 partners.
The "Byuldabang Expo" is a coffee seminar designed to deliver a special coffee experience to Starbucks partners. Starbucks said it was organized to help partners enhance their understanding of coffee, quality, and service by experiencing a variety of programs, and to strengthen the capabilities of each partner.