This study focused on 450 adult consumers who purchased and consumed instant or mixed coffee. It assessed the selection attributes of instant coffee and mixed coffee consumers, employing conjoint analysis to analyze the relative importance and optimal utility of red ginseng coffee selection attributes. The critical selection attributes considered when buying instant and mixed coffee were ranked as follows: ‘price (4.35)’, ‘taste (4.34)’, and ‘flavor (4.08)’. Instant coffee consumers prioritized ‘taste (4.39)’, while mixed coffee consumers emphasized ‘price (4.35)’; significant group differences were found for ‘flavor (4.16, 4.01)’, ‘caffeine presence (3.53, 3.34)’, ‘nutrient content (3.45, 3.28)’, ‘food additives (3.63, 3.45)’, and ‘processing method (3.64, 3.41)’ (p<0.01, p<0.05). Conjoint analysis revealed the relative importance of red ginseng coffee selection attributes: ‘caffeine (28.241%)’, ‘red ginseng ingredient content (28.148%)’, ‘favor (22.896%)’, and ‘coffee type (20.493%)’. Optimal red ginseng coffee, preferred by consumers, featured red ginseng ingredient content, a mild red ginseng flavor, and a mixed coffee without caffeine. ‘Intent to purchase red ginseng coffee’ was rated at 2.91 points, and ‘willingness to pay extra compared to regular coffee price’ was rated at 2.44 points. This study significantly contributes to understanding consumer characteristics in the instant and mixed coffee submarkets and identifying the preferred attributes of red ginseng coffee.