▲ Bongrim Hall cafe’s new strawberry menu (Provided by Kim Bo-kyung, the cafe manager)

The engineering space located on the second floor of Bongrim Hall opened in April of last year as part of a plan to construct an Open Future Education and Innovation Space in the community. One of Changwon University’s Cooperative Living Union cafes is also operated inside the engineering space. Currently, Changwon University’s Cooperative Living Union cafes are located on the 2nd floor of Bongrim Hall, the 1st floor of Sarim Hall, and the 1st floor of the library. At the cafe in Bongrim Hall, decaffeinated coffee options and two types of strawberry drinks were released. Decaffeinated, refers to the removal of caffeine from coffee beans and is popular among caffeine- sensitive consumers. The new strawberry drink menu includes a, "Strawberry Cream Latte," (KRW 3,800) and, "Strawberry Aid," (KRW 3,300), both of which will be available until May. To cover the behind- the- scenes on the new menu, an interview was conducted with manager Kim Bo-kyung, who is in charge of operating the Bongrim Hall cafe.

Q. Please introduce yourself.

Kim: Hello. My name is Bo-kyung Kim and I work at the Bongrim Hall cafe.

Q. When did you start working at the Bongrim Hall cafe?

Kim: I started last March.

Q. Please introduce the new menu items that were recently released.

Kim: After discussing it with my work- study students, I decided to release a refreshing drink to usher in the upcoming spring season, as well as the incoming freshmen. The new menu items we chose are, "Strawberry Latte," and, "Strawberry Ade." We launched it in the hope that Changwon University students, who come to the Bongrim Hall cafe, will think of our new menu drinks in the spring of the new semester. Additionally, for those who like coffee but are sensitive to caffeine, we also released decaffeinated coffee.

Q. You chose, ‘Fritz,’ coffee beans for your decaffeinated coffee option; was there any special selection criteria?

Kim: There is a famous cafe called, 'Fritz.' It's the company of the barista Park Geun-ha, who won first place in the Domestic Barista Championship. I tried other decaffeinated beans and they were really good, but I chose Fritz because I thought they were a little better.

Q. You must have thought a lot about developing a new menu. Did you have any difficulties?

Kim: I think some of the difficulties include the fact that if the sales of new menu items are low, we have to stop selling them, and that if the quality of the coffee is high, the unit price will inevitably increase. However, if the price of the coffee increases, students may feel financially burdened, so I think schools cannot sell coffee in that way. I always feel disappointed about this because there are numerous menu items that I want to present to students.

Q. You announced the sales period of the new menu as being until May, but if the strawberry menu is popular, do you have any plans to proceed after May?

Kim: Decaffeinated coffee will continue to be sold. Strawberry menu items will only be available from March to May every year because they are seasonal drinks.

Q. Is there anything you would like to tell people about the Bongrim Hall cafe?

Kim: Many people seem to be reluctant to visit the Bongrim Hall cafe because it costs 500 won more than the cafes located in Sarim Hall and the library, and because it is less accessible. It's been about 10 years since I started a cafe business, however, I actually began later in coffee sales. Although I started late, I want others to know that I'm trying to capture the happiness I feel within the coffee.

Q. Lastly, if you have anything you want to say to the students visiting the Bongrim Hall cafe, please tell us.

Kim: The Bongrim Hall cafe sells a sparkling, highly- caffeinated drink called, 'Fresh Listretto,' during the exam period. If many Changwon University students and faculty members visit our cafe, we can create a virtuous cycle that provides more diverse and high-quality drinks. Please come and visit the Bongrim Hall cafe.

Along with the Bongrim Hall Cafe, the other Cooperative Living Union cafes are trying to provide good quality drinks to students within a limited budget, while also trying to diversify their menus. If a virtuous cycle is formed by the active use of campus cafes by members of Changwon University, it is expected that a more diverse menu can be introduced. How about enjoying the smell of spring with a glass from the new menu released ahead of the start of the semester?

By Kim Min-seong, cub-reporter  kms9494274@gmail.com

<저작권자 © The Campus Journal, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지>