Introduction:The café opened by South Korean singer Lee Hyori and her husband Lee Sang-soo on Jeju Island has sparked dissatisfaction among neighboring businesses due to overwhelming fan attention. This article delves into the celebrity effect behind the incident and the survival challenges faced by local merchants, while exploring how to maintain coffee quality and business balance amid heavy foot traffic—offering practical insights for readers interested in entering the coffee industry.
The café, launched by renowned South Korean singer Lee Hyori and her musician husband Lee Sang-soo on Jeju Island, attracted long queues of fans and sold out popular items within 12 minutes of opening, leading to frustration among nearby café owners. Former ruling party lawmaker Jeon Yeo-ok publicly criticized the situation, arguing that it squeezed the survival space of local cafés. The incident not only highlights the double-edged nature of celebrity influence in the coffee industry but also sparks broader discussions on fair competition and local business opportunities.
On July 1, the café owned by Lee Hyori and her husband quietly opened without major publicity. However, fans enthusiastically shared photos with Lee Hyori and videos of Lee Sang-soo personally making coffee for customers on social media platforms, quickly drawing large crowds of fans and tourists. In the first three days after opening, queues stretching up to 100 meters formed outside the café daily, creating an unprecedented scene.
This craze put pressure on nearby café owners, who expressed their dissatisfaction through former ruling party lawmaker Jeon Yeo-ok. They argued that the star power concentrated customers, disrupting the normal operations of other businesses. Jeon Yeo-ok also posted on Facebook on July 3, stating that as public figures, celebrities wield far greater influence than ordinary business owners. While opening a café may seem like a simple endeavor, it could create unfair competition for surrounding merchants.
Jeon Yeo-ok questioned why the couple chose to open a café on Jeju Island, speculating whether it was because the industry has relatively low barriers to entry. She further noted that while this might be a personal hobby for the celebrity couple, for many local operators who rely on cafés for their livelihoods, it is a critical source of income. More controversially, the café opens at 9 AM, but despite the scorching heat, long lines had already formed outside, with all items selling out within just 12 minutes, prompting an immediate temporary closure—raising doubts about the sustainability of their business model.
Initially, Lee Hyori and her husband did not publicly respond to the criticism, sparking intense online discussions. Some netizens argued that celebrities also have the freedom to pursue hobbies and lifestyles, especially since Jeju Island is not the only place with a celebrity-owned café—so why single them out? Others pointed out that the excessive concentration of visitors indeed impacts the survival of other businesses.
Facing ongoing public backlash, Jeon Yeo-ok posted again on July 4 to further clarify her stance. She emphasized that while many celebrities venture into the food and beverage industry, most do not personally manage their establishments, avoiding such massive fan-driven effects. However, Lee Hyori and her husband not only participate directly but also interact with and take photos with customers, naturally attracting even more fans—creating significant unfairness for other cafés that rely on word-of-mouth and service.
She also noted that while many celebrities launch side businesses to secure stable income streams—given the unpredictability of entertainment careers—Lee Hyori already owns multiple properties in Jeju and other regions. Opening a highly "celebrity-effect" café undoubtedly intensifies the operational pressure on local businesses. She questioned whether such a business model truly considers the survival of surrounding merchants in an already competitive environment.
In response, Lee Sang-soo posted on Instagram on July 5, clarifying that the café is his personal project and unrelated to Lee Hyori. He explained that he has long been passionate about specialty coffee and wanted to create a space on Jeju Island that combines music creation and gathers like-minded individuals, which is why no large-scale publicity was conducted.
Lee Sang-soo also admitted that he lacks experience in café management and is not adept at handling large crowds, which is why the shop was designed to be small. On the opening day, he personally brewed coffee and agreed to take photos with fans only because his wife and friends visited. To avoid disturbing residents and other businesses, he stated he would no longer be present during operating hours in the future, instead focusing on overall operations and music creation behind the scenes.
Regarding the incident, Lee Sang-soo announced that the café would implement a reservation system starting July 7 to reduce on-site queues and pledged that the baristas would strive to serve high-quality coffee. This move garnered support from many netizens, who praised Lee Sang-soo’s rational and respectful response toward local businesses, as well as his commitment to coffee quality.
In fact, in South Korea, many celebrities choose to open cafés or restaurants on Jeju Island, drawn not only by the tourist traffic but also by the relatively low barriers to entry and lower capital investment compared to other types of food and beverage businesses, making it an attractive side venture. However, industry insiders point out that while the celebrity effect can attract large crowds in the short term, it often leads to customers visiting just once for the "pilgrimage" experience if product quality fails to meet expectations or prices are too high, making long-term loyalty difficult to achieve.
Additionally, overly enthusiastic fans may disrupt the lives of local residents and businesses, affecting community operations. An anonymous real estate industry insider noted that while celebrity-owned cafés may generate initial buzz, they often struggle to sustain long-term operations if they fail to balance product quality with fairness to local merchants. In contrast, cafés that collaborate with professional teams and do not rely primarily on celebrity appeal are more likely to earn customer trust and repeat business.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
