Gwangju has 224 coffee shops.

"Coffee shops just keep on multiplying," writes the JoongAng Daily in a quick look at the country's largest chains.

Industry representatives say such growth is possible because coffeehouses in Korea provide a space to be rather than just a cup of coffee. They cite the coining of a new word - “coffice,” which combines “coffee” with “office” - as how customers see their local coffee shop. It’s a place to work, study or socialize.

Ugh. The Gwangju Ilbo writes that Gwangju has 224 coffee shops, um, not including the ones that deliver (ubiquitious in, and increasingly exclusive to, that southwestern city).