Hello everyone,
Today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on Boseong Hongcha Iced Tea – Delicious Lemon Tea Zero, a new offering by Dongwon.
This is a refreshing drink made from black tea leaves grown in Boseong, a region famous for its green tea.
With a name this long, I thought about shortening it, but it’s just impossible—every word is important!
Boseong is a city well-known for its green tea production, so I won’t go into that much detail here.
But as the label boldly claims it’s “delicious,” I thought it was worth giving it a try and sharing my review.
Introducing Boseong Hongcha Iced Tea – Delicious Lemon Tea Zero
Dongwon seems to have jumped on the zero-calorie drink trend with this product.
They’ve released a black tea version of their popular Boseong Green Tea, adding a lemon-flavored iced tea twist to it.
The drink comes in a 500 ml PET bottle, which is quite convenient.
Since tea isn’t carbonated, it’s nice to have a resealable bottle so you don’t have to finish it all at once.
If you’re someone who frequently enjoys black tea or Earl Grey at cafes, you’ll feel right at home with this one.
Green tea, when fermented, becomes black tea, which is also known as hongcha (meaning “red tea” in Korean), and adding ice and sugar transforms it into what we commonly call iced tea.
Since this iced tea is made from tea leaves harvested in Boseong, which is renowned for its tea production, my expectations were pretty high.
Boseong is the largest producer of green tea in South Korea, known for its pure water, suitable climate, and abundant sunshine—all perfect conditions for tea cultivation.
The traditional cultivation methods passed down over generations ensure that the tea has a rich, deep flavor.
Taste and Flavor
When it comes to iced tea, Lipton is one of the most famous commercial brands that comes to mind.
Compared to Lipton Iced Tea, Boseong Hongcha Iced Tea is much milder and smoother.
You might think it’s just because I drank it over ice, but even drinking it straight from the bottle, it’s still light and smooth.
This isn’t the overly sweet, syrupy iced tea you’d expect from an American fast-food joint.
Instead, it feels like the kind of iced tea you’d be served at a café in a fancy glass—soft and subtle with a delicate Earl Grey-like flavor.
Plus, the lemon flavor is not overpowering; it’s well-balanced and adds a nice touch without overwhelming the tea.
Honestly, it’s exactly as it says—delicious lemon tea.
And for me personally, there are times when green tea or black tea can make my stomach feel a bit unsettled, but even after drinking this multiple times, I had no such issues.
Of course, everyone’s body is different, so if you have a sensitive stomach, your experience may vary.
The caffeine level also felt quite light.
I’m pretty much a caffeine addict, so I can usually tell when a drink isn’t enough for me, but with this one, I felt like I could drink ten bottles without an issue.
Ingredients and Nutrition Facts
The main ingredient is lemon black tea extract (99.4%), which contains purified water, lemon juice (from the USA), and organic black tea leaves from Boseong.
Other ingredients include vitamin C, citric acid, monk fruit extract (from China), artificial flavors (black tea and lemon), trisodium citrate, and sucralose.
It seems they brewed Boseong organic black tea and lemon into a cold brew, added some sweeteners and citric acid for a slight tangy kick.
The sweeteners used are monk fruit extract and sucralose.
If you’re curious about what sucralose tastes like—since so many zero-calorie drinks use a blend of sweeteners—this drink gives you a good idea.
It has a subtle, lingering sweetness, somewhat reminiscent of licorice, which pairs well with the smooth tea flavor.
Thankfully, the drink does not contain aspartame, which has recently been a cause for concern.
As for the nutritional information, there’s not much to note other than 40 mg of sodium.
The 1 g of carbohydrates is probably from the monk fruit, and honestly, it’s so minimal it barely counts.
Final Thoughts on Boseong Hongcha Iced Tea – Delicious Lemon Tea Zero
In conclusion, Boseong Green Tea and Boseong Black Tea are some of the best-known regional specialties from Korea, right up there with other famous products like Jeju Osulloc Tea.
The standout feature of Boseong Green Tea is that it has very little bitterness, making it easy for anyone to enjoy.
And when you think of green tea or black tea, it often feels like you’re drinking something healthy.
With zero calories and no sugar, this drink is a guilt-free pleasure that’s just as tasty as any other beverage, if not more.
I’ll write more about the benefits of green tea, black tea, and specifically Boseong Green Tea in another post.
It’s hard not to have high expectations for such well-known regional specialties like Boseong Tea, just like you would for Hoesong Hanwoo Beef, Muan Onions, Yeongdeok Crabs, Nonsan Strawberries, and many others.
Climate change is making things unpredictable, and who knows what will happen to these traditional specialty regions in the future, but for now, we can still enjoy them. As for this drink, considering it’s a mass-produced product at this price point, I think it’s a very well-balanced and high-quality beverage.
To sum it up, this drink truly lives up to its name—Delicious Lemon Tea Zero.