Starbucks Crowns Winner of Disabled Barista Championship

Kim Dong-min, a hearing-impaired partner at Seoul National University Dental Hospital, who won the 2021 Disabled Barista Championship, is posing for a commemorative photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] Starbucks Coffee Korea announced on the 23rd that Kim Dong-min, a hearing-impaired partner at the Seoul National University Dental Hospital store, won first place in the 2021 Disabled Barista Championship held to promote harmony and communication among disabled baristas.

Since 2015, Starbucks has been hosting the "Disabled Barista Championship" to boost the pride of disabled baristas, enhance their skills as baristas, and eliminate prejudice against disabled baristas.

This year's Disabled Barista Championship featured five baristas who passed the preliminary round competing in the finals, showcasing their skills in beverage quality, proficiency, customer service, and latte art.

Kim Dong-min, who received high marks in all evaluation categories and won first place, joined Starbucks in 2013 and obtained the Coffee Master certification, Starbucks' in-house coffee expert qualification, in 2016. Currently, Kim Dong-min works as a supervisor at the Seoul National University Dental Hospital store, the world's first Starbucks store with an inclusive interior design that enhances facilities for the disabled, aimed at improving awareness of disabilities.

Supervisor Kim Dong-min expressed his gratitude, saying, "I am very thankful to my colleagues and family who gave me confidence without prejudice against disabilities," and added, "In the future, I want to gain more experience and knowledge to play a role that positively influences other disabled people."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.