Celebrities opening cafés in Jeju Island continue to draw controversy, with complaints from locals sparking heated online debate.
Recently, actor Lee Dong-gun opened a café in Aewol, Jeju. He had announced, “We’ve been preparing this café for a while. We’ll do our best to provide satisfying menus and service.” The stylish interior and star power quickly turned the café into a hot spot, drawing large crowds and viral attention on social media.
However, not everyone was pleased. A neighboring café owner posted online, “Lee Dong-gun’s café, which opened behind ours, was doing construction until 11 PM every night. Neither I nor my dog, Jinsun, could sleep. I don’t mind other cafés opening I’ve even promoted some but this was not a good start.”
Another local business owner wrote, “They disrupted the neighborhood late at night just to meet filming schedules. They didn’t even bother to ask for permission. Even after complaints, the construction continued until 11 PM.”
While some netizens defended Lee, saying the area is zoned for commercial use and the parking issue was exaggerated, others agreed that proper communication with nearby residents should have been a given.
In a sarcastic twist, one business owner even threatened to rename their café “T-ara Café” and create a logo, referencing Lee Dong-gun’s past relationship with singer Jiyeon from T-ara, to “return rudeness with rudeness.”
Critics noted the commentary crossed a line, turning from fair criticism into personal attacks.
Lee Dong-gun isn’t the only celebrity caught in Jeju café controversies.
Actress Park Han-byul faced backlash over the unusual outdoor restroom at her Jeju café. While some found it visually unique, others called it impractical and uncomfortable. She later explained that the restroom was the idea of the interior designer, who had asked not to be interfered with. On her YouTube channel, Park admitted, “It’s innovative, but I didn’t like it.”
Meanwhile, Lee Sang-soon, husband of singer Lee Hyo-ri, opened a café in Dongbok-ri, Jeju in 2022. With Lee himself serving coffee, the place quickly went viral. However, the influx of customers raised concerns among local residents, leading to a temporary closure just two days after opening and a shift to a reservation-only system.
Former lawmaker Jeon Yeo-ok criticized, “Why do Lee Hyo-ri and Lee Sang-soon need to run a coffee shop? How is this any different from conglomerates pushing into small neighborhoods?”
Lee Sang-soon clarified that Lee Hyo-ri had no involvement in the café and said, “We’ll do everything we can to avoid disturbing the locals. Our three baristas will continue serving high-quality specialty coffee.” He later closed the café after two years when the lease expired, noting, “I just wanted to open a place nearby where people could enjoy good coffee.”
Despite attempts to stay under the radar, Lee admitted, “We tried to hide our info on Naver, Daum, and Google. We just didn’t think about Instagram,” expressing disappointment at the unexpected attention.
From Lee Dong-gun to Park Han-byul and Lee Sang-soon, celebrity-run cafés in Jeju continue to face both enthusiastic crowds—and local resentment.
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