Actor Lee Dong-gun's cafe launched in Jeju is continuing its business amid a hot response after opening.
On the 1st, a travel creator's account uploaded a photo of Lee Dong-gun welcoming guests at the cafe with the caption, "The hottest cafe by actor Lee Dong-gun in Aewol these days."
In the photo, Lee Dong-gun is seen wearing a cap and apron while personally brewing coffee. He radiated a warm visual with his "business smile."
Moreover, on the 2nd, Lee Dong-gun's cafe official account shared reviews from customers who visited, catching attention. Lee Dong-gun also went to work at the cafe that day and one customer confirmed their hot popularity by taking a drink to go, saying, "There was no seat."
Earlier, Lee Dong-gun revealed that running a small cafe in Jeju was a long-held dream on the SBS entertainment program "My Little Old Boy." He later borrowed 200 million won in startup funds and opened a cafe in Aewol, Jeju, which quickly became a hot spot after officially opening on the 14th of last month.
However, he was embroiled in a controversy over territoriality after being accused by nearby merchants. The owner of Cafe A, who operates in the vicinity, accused Lee Dong-gun through a personal account, stating, "Lee Dong-gun's cafe opened behind our cafe. They worked until 11 p.m. to finish construction, making us unable to sleep, and even the dog in the yard couldn't rest. It seems they are using our parking lot. I have no regrets about my cafe and promote other cafes, but this is not a good start."
Another cafe owner, B, also stated, "There are residents living nearby, and they kept filming late at night for the broadcast. Isn’t it common courtesy to ask for permission first? Even when we complained, they continued construction until 11 p.m.," asserting, "Lee Dong-gun's cafe has revived the business district so our parking lot and cafe are doing well during the peak season. It’s not that I’m worried about falling sales, it’s just that I hate seeing people without common courtesy doing well."
B added, "To make it 'a fun place,' I’m considering changing the cafe's name to 'Tiara Cafe' to encourage people to take photos of Lee Dong-gun's cafe and ours. This points to Lee Dong-gun's past public relationship with Tiara member Ji-yeon." B also created a cafe logo that read 'Tiara,' which sparked criticism from some netizens.
Subsequently, opinions surfaced on online communities criticizing Lee Dong-gun for causing disturbances by working until 11 p.m., while pointing out the territoriality of nearby merchants who targeted him. Amid this, Lee Dong-gun has actively been going to the cafe for about two weeks since the 27th of last month, focusing on promotion. Despite the territoriality suspicions, he continues to diligently do his work, demonstrating his determination.
[Photo] OSEN DB, SNS
[OSEN]