K-dessert Cafes Become Hotspots for Foreign Visitors: The Rise of the 'Tu-Seol-Pa' Trio [Trend Recipe]

[Financial News] As competition among franchise chains intensifies in the coffee market and high-quality independent cafes proliferate, Korea’s cafe industry is trying to redefine itself from simple coffee shops into comprehensive culinary spaces. With the market increasingly dominated by low-priced coffee brands and Starbucks, each brand is now turning to signature dessert items and specialized store formats to attract customers.
According to the coffee industry on the 17th, as cafe competition heats up, the market is being reshaped around desserts and specialized outlets led by A Twosome Place, Sulbing and Paris Baguette, often dubbed the "Tu-Seol-Pa" trio. In recent years, the cafe market has become fiercely competitive as both domestic franchises and foreign coffee chains have expanded their presence. At the same time, Koreans are drinking more coffee, fueling the growth of independent cafes with strong concepts and competitiveness, and pushing the coffee specialty market into a state of oversupply.
Against this backdrop, A Twosome Place, Sulbing and Paris Baguette, the Tu-Seol-Pa trio, are seeking to differentiate themselves from Starbucks and low-cost coffee chains by focusing on desserts and specialized store concepts. A report titled "Cafe Trend Report 2025" released last year by Open Survey found that more than 40% of consumers cited bakery and desserts as key criteria when choosing a cafe. This shows that not only coffee but also accompanying gourmet offerings have become a decisive factor in cafe selection.
These brands are also unveiling specialized stores with wider spacing between seats or interiors infused with Korean aesthetics. By doing so, they enhance the customer experience and maximize their appeal to foreign tourists, amplifying their ability to draw in visitors.
A Twosome Place is targeting the dessert market with cakes such as its best-selling Strawberry Chocolate Fresh Cream cake, known by the nickname "Scho-saeng," along with icebox cakes, matcha cakes and fresh cream fruit cakes. Every year-end season, the chain runs holiday marketing campaigns centered on Scho-saeng, and last year the Scho-saeng lineup sold about 3.2 million units, roughly a 30% increase from the previous year. The brand is also winning over consumers by launching collaborative products through partnerships with global names like Disney, Porsche, Hennessy and Netflix.

Sulbing, which has built strong recognition among foreigners with K-desserts such as bingsu and other sweets, is opening stores mainly in areas popular with tourists, including Gyeongbokgung Palace, Apgujeong and Seomyeon in Busan. At major tourist spots and special commercial districts, foreign customers account for about 20–25% of visitors, a much higher share than at other locations. Notably, the Apgujeong Rodeo branch, which opened last October, features an interior that modernizes and reinterprets traditional hanok design elements.
A Sulbing representative stated, "We will strengthen our identity as a Korean dessert cafe so that we can captivate not only local customers but also foreign tourists."
Paris Baguette, a bakery-focused franchise, is moving beyond its traditional takeout format and concentrating on in-store customer experiences where people can enjoy its products on-site. A prime example is the Gwanghwamun 1945 store, a specialized outlet opened last August in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, designed to appeal to foreign tourists. With Korean-style interior design and exclusive menu items, the store emphasizes spatial experience so that customers do more than simply consume food and beverages. In addition, the location offers a Gwanghwamun version of the popular "Annyeong Sand" sandwich from Incheon International Airport and a limited-edition celadon series, further differentiating its bakery lineup.
security@fnnews.com Park Kyung-ho Reporter