Paik's Coffee takes its first steps into Japan with two Tokyo stores

The Born Korea announced Thursday that its coffee brand Paik's Coffee has opened its first and second stores in Tokyo, Japan.

The two locations, which opened on Aug. 6 and Tuesday, are situated in Shimbashi and Kanda — two of Tokyo's most prominent office districts. Both stores are the first overseas locations to carry Paik's Coffee's redesigned brand identity, developed specifically for its global expansion.

The sites were chosen for their high repeat-visit potential rather than sheer foot traffic, reflecting market research showing growing demand in Japan for takeout-focused K-cafe style coffee.

The Shimbashi flagship drew customers lining up before it even opened on its first day. On weekdays, the store consistently sells more than 1,000 drinks a day, with the signature "Wonjokkeopi" — the brand's original-recipe coffee — ranking as the top seller.

Both stores are designed as takeout-specialist outlets, with separate ordering and pickup zones to streamline customer flow. The stores also feature a "smart pickup system": once a drink is placed on the pickup counter, the beverage name, order number and quantity are automatically displayed at that position.

The menu preserves the brand's core strengths — generous portions, affordable prices and fast service — while being localized for Japanese tastes. Daily coffee options include an Americano at 250 yen and a cafe latte at 380 yen, alongside locally inspired items such as corn soup as a breakfast substitute and matcha and kinako drinks. A Japan-exclusive coffee bean blend is also used.

The brand has also launched a Japan-exclusive app offering mobile ordering, coupons and rewards. Within four days of opening, the app had surpassed 4,000 registered users, with roughly 30 percent of all orders placed through it.

The Born Korea has also established a "Paik's Coffee Lab" in Japan to support steady store network expansion. The facility handles Japan-specific menu development and testing as well as staff recipe training, and will serve as a base for new menu research and development, store operations testing and simulation as the brand builds its Japan operating standards.

Based on the performance of the first two stores and customer feedback, Paik's Coffee plans to open additional Tokyo locations before the end of the year, then expand to other major Japanese cities such as Osaka.

Japan is just the start of a broader global push. The brand plans to sign a master franchise agreement with a Taiwanese partner in September, open stores in China by year's end, and enter the United States, Cambodia and India next year.

"We plan to analyze Japanese customers' menu preferences and usage patterns, and expand our local presence through the Paik's Coffee Lab," a The Born Korea official said.