International Women’s Day brings an unusual scene to North Korea: husbands buying lattes

Coffee shops in North Korea’s Sinuiju were packed with couples on International Women’s Day this year as husbands marked the holiday by taking their wives out for drinks in a scene locals described as entirely new, a source in North Pyongan province told Daily NK on Wednesday. 

“On March 8, couples spending time together over coffee were spotted throughout the day at multiple coffee shops in Sinuiju,” the source said. “Shops that are usually quiet were filled wall to wall with couples and buzzing with activity.”

A new kind of holiday

Coffee shops in North Korea are not yet spaces that ordinary people frequent as a matter of routine. They are generally seen as venues for those with comparatively comfortable means, which made the sight of couples crowding them on International Women’s Day all the more striking to onlookers.

In previous years, husbands typically marked the holiday by taking over household chores or presenting their wives with bouquets. This year, the source said, many chose coffee shops as a venue to create a special atmosphere, a departure that drew considerable attention.

The shift appears tied in part to remarks by leader Kim Jong Un, who used a speech to recognize and praise women’s contributions ahead of the holiday. The source said the resulting atmosphere, one that broadly elevated women’s status and the occasion itself, encouraged couples to mark the day in a more deliberate way.

“There were many men who wanted to create a different kind of atmosphere and came to coffee shops with their wives,” the source said. “It wasn’t just newlyweds or young couples — middle-aged couples were well represented too, which is why people kept saying this was a scene you’ve never seen before.”

At Sinuiju coffee shops that day, couples were seen sharing lattes, cappuccinos, sweet macchiatos, chocolate drinks, coffee-flavored snacks, and waffles while chatting. Staff, unaccustomed to the warm and lively atmosphere, reportedly found the day both unusual and enjoyable.

Skeptics won over

The source noted that some who had previously dismissed coffee shops as frivolous came away with a changed view after visiting during the holiday.

“People who went to coffee shops this March 8 said that they had always looked down on the idea — asking who had time for something like that when life is so busy — but that once they actually went, they found it surprisingly pleasant because you could have a quiet conversation,” the source said.

The holiday is now being cited as a potential turning point for coffee shops, which may be gaining traction as spaces for rest and cultural leisure beyond their original function as beverage outlets. Young couples, the source said, have already begun talking about returning for the next holiday.

“People who visited coffee shops this March 8 are spreading the word, and interest is growing,” the source said. “Among young couples especially, the reaction has been positive enough that some are already saying they want to spend the next holiday relaxing at a coffee shop too.”

The trend offers a window into the gradual evolution of everyday consumer life and culture among North Korea’s urban population.

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