May 1-4, Held at Busan BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1
Competition of Espresso, Milk Beverages, and Creative Drinks
Baristas representing their countries from around the world will be able to meet at the World Barista Championship.
Busan City and the Speciality Coffee Association are hosting, and Exporum, the organizer of the Seoul Cafe Show, is managing the world’s most prestigious barista competition, the ‘2024 World Barista Championship Busan.’ They have announced the list of baristas participating in the event.
This year’s ‘World Barista Championship Busan’ will be held over four days from May 1 to 4 at BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1 in Busan, featuring 55 baristas from 51 countries.
Since its first event in Monte Carlo in 2000, the World Barista Championship has crowned winners such as Australia’s Paul Bassett, Korea’s Jeon Ju-yeon, Norway’s Tim Wendelboe, and the United States’ Michael Phillips, who have all represented their countries’ coffee industries and become global leaders in the coffee sector. This year, 55 participants from 51 countries will showcase their skills.
The competition includes Italy’s champion Federico Pigna, the only Korean-American coffee champion in the U.S., Frank Ra, and representing South Korea is the domestic champion and Busan native, barista Lim Jeong-hwan, who will compete against world-class baristas. There is great anticipation whether another Korean, like Jeon Ju-yeon in 2019 and Um Bo-ram, a second-generation Korean Brazilian who won in 2023, will claim the title and continue Korea’s strong presence.
The ‘World Barista Championship Busan’ will run from May 1 to 4, starting with preliminary rounds and culminating in the finals.
On the first and second days, preliminary rounds will take place, and by 6 p.m. on May 2, 15 participants will be selected to advance to the semifinals. On May 3, semifinalists advancing to the finals will be announced, and on the final day, May 4, the finals will begin in the morning, followed by the awards ceremony to conclude the event.
Competing baristas will be judged in three categories: first, espresso; second, milk beverages; and finally, a creative beverage. They will prepare these three drinks and present them to four judges. Participants with the highest total scores in each round will advance to the next stage.
Additionally, baristas representing their countries will hold various events for visitors attending the venue.
During the four days of the competition, the world’s top baristas will demonstrate brewing coffee directly for general visitors and offer opportunities to taste the brewed coffee at the ▲Brew Bar booth.
Moreover, a ‘Barista Party’ will be held for networking and socializing among baristas from around the world.
Alongside the ‘World Barista Championship Busan,’ the ‘2024 World of Coffee Busan’ will also take place from May 1 to 4.
Hosted by the Speciality Coffee Association and Busan City, and organized by Busan Technopark and Exporum, the ‘2024 World of Coffee Busan’ is a globally prestigious specialty coffee exhibition held annually in Europe. This is its first time in Asia, taking place in Busan, South Korea. It is expected to attract over 20,000 visitors, including more than 12,000 industry professionals from 70 countries.
Notably, famous coffee-producing regions such as Panama, Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia, known for their unique coffee cultures, will participate, along with over 280 domestic and international coffee companies. Exhibits will include coffee-related products, technologies, and services, as well as the Roaster Village exhibition hall, where domestic and international roastery cafes will showcase their coffee and brands.
Coffee enthusiasts and visitors wishing to attend the ‘2024 World of Coffee & World Barista Championship Busan,’ held from May 1 to 4 at Busan BEXCO, can purchase one-day or multi-day tickets on-site at the venue.
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