Korea’s Purple Gold: Discover the Purple Sweet Potato Latte
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Korea's Purple Gold: The Purple Sweet Potato Latte
In Seoul's cafes in autumn, a pastel purple color catches every eye. It's not taro. It's the Goguma Latte, the Korean purple sweet potato in a cup.
By Maison Boseong · Seoul, South Korea · June 2026 · 5 min read
If you walk through the streets of Seoul in autumn or winter, a unique color inevitably catches the eye on cafe tables: a soft, creamy pastel purple. This is not taro, but the famous Goguma Latte (고구마 라떼), the Korean purple sweet potato latte. Maison Boseong brings it directly to your cup.
Color
Natural pastel purple, due to anthocyanins
Caffeine
None, comforting drink
Flavor
Chestnut, vanilla, natural creaminess
Trend
Seoul cafes, K-dramas autumn/winter
The Korean Purple Sweet Potato
The Korean purple sweet potato (Goguma, 고구마) is a distinct variety from the orange sweet potato found in France. Its intense purple flesh, due to the natural presence of anthocyanins (natural pigments also found in blueberries and red cabbage), gives it this spectacular color that does not go unnoticed.
Its flavor is more subtle than the orange sweet potato: notes of chestnut, light vanilla, and a naturally creamy texture, without the excessive sweetness of some varieties. In Korea, sweet potato is eaten baked (sold on the street in autumn, from heated carts), in tteok (rice cakes), or, in recent years, as powder for lattes and pastries.
The artisanal Purple Sweet Potato Latte powder we offer is made from dried and ground purple sweet potatoes, without artificial colorings. The purple color comes solely from the natural anthocyanins of the potato.
« The purple of the Goguma Latte is the color of Korean autumn in a cup. Sweet, comforting, caffeine-free. The perfect drink for cool days. »
Taste and Texture: A Cloud of Sweetness
The Goguma Latte stands out from all other lattes due to its very gentle natural sweetness, almost milky, which requires little or no added sugar. Its characteristics in a cup:
Dominant aromas: sweet chestnut, natural vanilla, slightly buttery cream. As the latte cools, notes of soft caramel appear.
Texture: velvety, dense, with a natural creaminess due to the starch of the sweet potato. Oat milk further amplifies this creamy effect.
Color: luminous pastel purple, between lilac and Parma violet. The color varies slightly depending on the concentration of powder used: more powder gives a deeper purple.
Bitterness: none. It is one of the sweetest and most accessible drinks for those who do not like the bitterness of coffee or matcha.
Recipe for the Perfect Goguma Latte
Classic Hot Goguma Latte
- 1The base: In a cup, mix 2 to 3 tablespoons of Purple Sweet Potato Latte Powder with a little warm water (40–50°C, not boiling to preserve color). Stir until completely dissolved.
- 2The milk: Heat 200ml of oat milk or whole cow's milk. Froth. Oat milk is our preference: its sweet cereal notes perfectly match the chestnut of the Goguma.
- 3Assembly: Pour the hot frothed milk over the dissolved powder, stirring gently. The purple color diffuses into the milk spectacularly.
- 4The finish: A pinch of cinnamon on top and a few grains of Korean sea salt (to awaken the flavors) transform the latte into an experience. Enjoy in a jujube wood bowl: the contrast of natural wood and pastel purple is beautiful.
Variations and Pairings
Goguma Cream
Replace half of the milk with light cream. Even creamier texture, perfect as a dessert version.
Goguma Chestnut
Add 1 tsp of chestnut cream. The chestnut-chestnut pairing is an obvious autumnal choice.
Goguma Ssuk
Purple and green: mix Goguma powder and Ssuk powder for a spectacular two-color latte.
Goguma Smoothie
Blend the powder with banana, oat milk, and ice cubes for a creamy purple smoothie.
Solid pairings: Goguma Latte pairs well with hazelnut cookies, Breton shortbread, Hodu-Gwaja (Korean walnut cookies), plain cheesecake, and butter madeleines. See our article on Hodu-Gwaja, the soul of Korean snacking.
Goguma in Korean Culture
Sweet potato is one of Koreans' favorite snacks in autumn and winter. Street vendors offer baked sweet potatoes in heated carts (고구마 장수, goguma jangsu), and their sweet, warm scent is inseparable from the streets of Seoul in November.
In K-dramas, characters are often seen eating baked sweet potatoes in comforting situations: after a bad day, during an intimate conversation, or as a snack shared among friends. It is the quintessential Korean comfort food, accessible to all, inexpensive, naturally sweet.
The Goguma Latte trend exploded on Korean social media in 2020–2021, driven by its spectacular color perfect for Instagram and TikTok, and by the complete absence of caffeine, making it the perfect evening or weekend drink.
Goguma · Artisanal · Caffeine-free
Purple Sweet Potato Latte
Artisanal Korean purple sweet potato powder. Spectacular purple color, chestnut sweetness, zero caffeine.
DiscoverSsuk · Mugwort · Caffeine-free
Ssuk Latte (Mugwort)
Seoul's other trendy latte: Korean mugwort. Deep green, herbaceous, minty. Caffeine-free.
DiscoverArt of Gesture · Accessories
Jujube Wood Bowls
To enhance the purple color of the Goguma Latte: our warm and natural Korean jujube wood bowls.
DiscoverBring a touch of Korean purple to your moments
Goguma, Ssuk, matcha: Seoul's trendy powders. Code BIENVENUE10 for 10% off your first order.
Goguma Latte All infusionsAbout the author:Nico Lesage is the founder of Maison Boseong. An expert in Korean teas, he has lived in Seoul since 2011. Every year, he travels to the peninsula’s tea gardens to source exceptional harvests directly from local producers.