The Story of Korean Green Tea (the Tea From a Country You Didn't Think Grew Tea)
If you're a tea drinker in the US, you probably drink green tea from China or Japan. Maybe Vietnam. Maybe India.
South Korea doesn't usually make the list. Most Western tea drinkers don't realize Korea has a tea tradition at all. The country is known for kimchi, Korean barbecue, and ginseng — not tea.
But Korea has been growing tea for over a thousand years. Korean green tea, called nokcha, has a distinctive cup that's different from both Chinese and Japanese green teas — less grassy than Japanese, less vegetal than Chinese, with a clean sweetness and a long finish. The country has its own processing tradition, its own varietals, and its own tea ceremony.
This is the story of how tea got to Korea, what makes Korean green tea distinctive, and why the origin is worth seeking out.
A 1,000-year tradition, then near-extinction
Tea arrived in Korea in the 7th century, during the Silla dynasty. The story goes that the queen of Silla sent envoys to Tang China in 828 to bring back tea seeds and a tea master, and that the king of Silla planted the seeds on the slopes of Jiri Mountain (also spelled Chirisan or Chiri-san) in the south of the country.
This date — 828 CE — is the founding date of Korean tea culture. Every Korean tea producer will reference it, and several of the country's oldest tea gardens are still located on or near the southern slopes of Jiri Mountain, in what is now Hadong county.
For the next 800 years, Korean tea was a major part of the country's culture and economy. Tea was used in Buddhist temples (the practice of dharma tea, or dah-cha, became a central part of Korean Buddhism), served to royalty and officials, and exported to China and Japan. The Hadong region, in particular, became the heartland of Korean tea production.
The decline came during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897), when Confucian values replaced Buddhism as the state ideology. Confucianism didn't reject tea outright, but the practice of Buddhist tea ceremonies declined, and the elaborate tea culture that had developed during the Silla and Goryeo periods shrank to a more minor cultural practice. Tea consumption in Korea dropped, and much of the tea garden land was converted to other crops.
The near-extinction came in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when Korea was colonized by Japan (1910–1945) and then devastated by the Korean War (1950–1953). Tea production collapsed. Many of the historic tea gardens were abandoned or destroyed. By the 1960s, Korea was producing very little tea, and most of what was being grown was for ceremonial or medicinal use, not everyday drinking.
The revival came in the 1970s and 1980s, when the South Korean government, along with private entrepreneurs, began to restore the tea industry. New tea gardens were planted, especially on the volcanic island of Jeju (see below) and in the traditional southern growing regions. Old wild tea bushes in the mountains of Hadong and on Jeju were identified and propagated. Korean tea started to appear in specialty tea shops in Seoul and other major cities.
Today, Korea produces a small but high-quality amount of green tea. Most of it is consumed domestically, but small amounts are exported. The country is not a major player in the global tea market, but the tea it does produce is distinctive and worth knowing.
Where it's actually grown
Korean green tea is grown in three main regions.
Hadong (south coast, mainland). The historical heartland of Korean tea. Located on the southern slopes of Jiri Mountain, the region has been growing tea for over 1,000 years. The traditional Korean tea varieties — Yabukita, Jakseol, and the wild teas from the mountains — are mostly grown here. The cup from Hadong is generally deeper and more roasted than the Jeju teas, with notes of chestnut, seaweed, and a slight savory undertone.
Jeju Island. A volcanic island off the south coast of Korea, with high-altitude tea gardens at 200 to 500 meters elevation. The volcanic soil, high humidity, and strong ocean winds give Jeju tea a distinctive character — the cup is bright, clean, and slightly sweet, with a fresh, almost marine note. Jeju is now the largest single tea-growing region in Korea.
Sancheong and Gyeongnam (inland south). Smaller producing regions in the southern Korean interior, with mountain tea gardens at higher elevations (500 to 800 meters). The cup is often deeper and more vegetal than Hadong or Jeju tea, with notes of moss, deep green vegetables, and a more pronounced savory character.
Korea also has a tradition of "wild tea" or "mountain tea" (sansacha) — tea harvested from old, uncultivated tea bushes growing wild in the mountains. These wild teas are highly prized, expensive, and produced in very small quantities. The cup from wild tea is more complex, more bitter, and more medicinal than cultivated tea.
The varietals
Korean tea is grown from a mix of Korean-native and Japanese-derived varietals.
Yabukita. Originally a Japanese cultivar (developed in Shizuoka, Japan, in 1908), but now widely planted in Korea as well. Yabukita makes up about 60% of Korean green tea plantings. The cup is clean, slightly grassy, and balanced — more restrained than the more strongly-flavored Chinese green teas.
Jakseol (자생). A Korean-native varietal, often called "native" or "indigenous" Korean tea. Jakseol is the traditional Korean varietal, found in many of the older tea gardens. The cup is more complex than Yabukita, with more pronounced umami, more depth, and sometimes a slight astringency.
Bori-cha (보리차) varietals. A separate Korean tea type made from barley or roasted barley, not from Camellia sinensis (the tea plant). Bori-cha is technically not green tea, but it's a major part of Korean tea culture and worth knowing. The cup is nutty, slightly sweet, with a roasted grain character. Most Korean families keep bori-cha on hand as a daily drink.
Sansa (wild tea). Tea harvested from old, uncultivated bushes in the mountains. The varietals are not formally identified — they may include old Chinese varieties brought during the Silla dynasty, or natural hybrids. The cup is more complex and more bitter than cultivated tea. Sansa is the most expensive and most prized Korean tea.
Hybrid and modern varietals. Recent plantings include disease-resistant and high-yielding hybrid varieties developed for Korean conditions. These are still a small part of the country's production.
What it actually tastes like
Korean green tea has a distinctive cup profile that sits between Chinese and Japanese green tea.
Vegetal but balanced. The cup has a green, vegetal character but is less grassy than Japanese sencha and less seaweed-like than some Chinese longjing. The green notes are clean and leafy, more like fresh-cut grass than seaweed or spinach.
Sweet nuttiness. Most Korean green teas have a clear sweet, nutty note — chestnut, almond, sometimes a hint of pine nut. This is the most consistent flavor across Korean lots.
Umami depth. Particularly in the higher-end and wild teas, there's a strong umami character — savory, brothy, almost like a light miso. The umami is more restrained than the strongest Japanese gyokuro, but more pronounced than most Chinese green teas.
Marine or seaweed note. Particularly in Jeju teas, the ocean influence shows up as a subtle marine or seaweed note in the cup. Not overpowering, but distinctly present. This is a flavor you don't find in teas from inland origins.
Soft astringency. Korean green tea is generally low in astringency. The cup is smooth, almost creamy, with little of the dry, puckering quality of some Chinese or Japanese teas.
Lingering finish. Most Korean green teas have a long, sweet finish. The nutty and umami notes tend to linger on the palate for 30 to 60 seconds after swallowing.
The cup is closer in style to a lighter Japanese gyokuro or a high-grade sencha than to most Chinese green teas. If you like Japanese green tea but want something with more depth and less grassiness, Korean nokcha is a good next stop.
The Korean tea ceremony
Korea has its own tea ceremony, called darye (다례), which is distinct from the Japanese chanoyu or the Chinese gongfu cha.
The Korean ceremony is simpler and less formal than the Japanese. There's no strict choreography, no particular set of movements required. The ceremony is built around brewing tea in a porcelain or celadon pot, pouring into small cups, and serving with simple traditional snacks (typically rice cakes or dried fruits).
The emphasis in darye is on the spirit of the moment — the conversation, the setting, the act of being present with the tea. There's no rigid ranking of guests, no precise timing of steeps, no formal opening of the tea utensils. The Korean approach treats tea as a social and contemplative act, not a ritual performance.
The utensils are also distinctive. Korean tea ware often features celadon (the famous pale green-gray Korean ceramic glaze), unglazed clay, or simple white porcelain. The teapots tend to be smaller and rounder than Chinese or Japanese teapots, and the cups are often small porcelain cups with no handles.
If you're interested in Korean tea but don't have access to traditional Korean tea ware, you can brew it in any small teapot or gaiwan. The tea is forgiving of brewing variables and works well at most steeping times and temperatures.
How to brew it
Korean green tea is more forgiving than Japanese green tea but more delicate than Chinese green tea. A few guidelines.
Use water at 160–175°F (70–80°C). Lower than boiling. Boiling water makes the cup bitter. If you don't have a thermometer, bring water to a boil and let it cool for 2 to 3 minutes before pouring.
Use a 1:50 ratio. About 5 grams of tea to 250 ml of water. Korean green teas are usually sold in larger leaf or needle form, so the leaf size is bigger than Japanese sencha — adjust accordingly.
Steep for 1.5 to 2.5 minutes. Shorter for lighter cups, longer for more umami. Most Korean green teas can be re-steeped 2 to 3 times, with each steep revealing different notes.
Use a small teapot, gaiwan, or kyusu. A 200 to 300 ml vessel is ideal. Korean teaware is traditional but not required.
Drink it without additions. No milk, no sugar. The cup is meant to be tasted clean, particularly the umami and nutty notes.
Try it iced. Korean green tea works well as a cold-brew. Use 8 grams per liter of cold water, steep in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours. The result is a sweet, clean, refreshing cup that highlights the marine and nutty notes.
Why we don't currently stock it
The reasons are partly about volume and partly about access.
Domestic demand. Most Korean green tea is consumed within Korea. The country has a strong tea culture domestically, and most producers prioritize the Korean market. Export volumes are small and inconsistent.
Language and trade barriers. Korean tea producers are often smaller, family-run operations. Many don't have English-language export infrastructure, websites, or international shipping arrangements. Working with them requires either a Korean-speaking buyer or an importer with established relationships.
Price. Korean green tea, particularly the higher-end Hadong and wild teas, is expensive by international standards. A 100g pack of high-grade nokcha can run $30 to $80 USD. The cost is partly justified by the small lot sizes and labor-intensive processing, but it makes the tea hard to fit into our current price structure.
We may add a Korean green tea in 2027, particularly a Jeju green tea or a Hadong wild tea. For now, this post is educational — the kind of origin we'd recommend if you want to explore Asian green tea beyond the more common Chinese and Japanese options.
Where to find good Korean green tea
If you want to try Korean specialty green tea, here's where to look.
Korean tea shops online. A few Korean tea companies — Oksancha, Dongsuh, Darye — sell internationally through their own websites or through platforms like Etsy. The selection is usually the most current and the prices are reasonable.
Korean grocery stores in your area. If you have a Korean grocery store nearby, they will carry a selection of Korean green teas and bori-cha. The selection is usually mainstream commercial-grade, not specialty, but it's a good starting point.
Specialty tea importers. A small number of Western specialty tea importers have started carrying Korean green teas, usually Hadong or Jeju lots. Ask your local tea shop if they can special-order.
Direct from Korean tea farms. Some Korean tea farms, particularly in Hadong and on Jeju, have English-language websites and ship internationally. The shipping cost is high relative to the tea cost, but the quality can be excellent.
Try it at a Korean tea house. If you're in a city with a Korean community, there may be a Korean tea house or a Korean restaurant that serves traditional nokcha. The cup is usually prepared well, and the experience includes the proper teaware.
Why Korean green tea is worth knowing about
Korean green tea is a tea that doesn't show up in most Western tea drinkers' mental map of the world. China and Japan dominate the Asian green tea category, and other origins are rarely considered.
That's a gap worth filling. Korean green tea is its own category, with its own varietals, processing methods, and cup profile. The tea has been grown in Korea for over 1,000 years and has a distinct character that doesn't fit neatly into either Chinese or Japanese traditions.
If you drink green tea regularly, adding Korean nokcha to the rotation is one of the easier ways to expand your palate. Start with a Jeju or Hadong lot. Brew it slightly cooler than you would a Chinese green tea. Drink it clean, and pay attention to the nutty and umami notes that distinguish it from more familiar green teas.
Sip slow,
— The Cozy Sips team
For a comparison of Asian green tea traditions, our Sencha story covers the most familiar Japanese style. Or, if you want to explore another lesser-known tea origin, our Vietnamese tea story covers a tea-producing country that, like Korea, is often overlooked in Western markets.