Actor Lee Dong-gun has opened a new cafe in Jeju Island, and he has been targeted by nearby cafe owners. This has sparked a debate among internet users, with some agreeing that Lee Dong-gun has caused inconvenience, while others argue that the cafe owners are overreacting due to Jeju's local bias.
Recently, a cafe owner, referred to as A, posted on their personal account, "The cafe that opened behind ours has Lee Dong-gun's. They worked until 11 p.m., so I couldn't sleep, and even Jin-soon in the yard couldn't sleep and suffered." They continued, "They seem to be using our parking lot. I have no feelings for my cafe anymore and promote other cafes, but this is not a good first impression."
Another cafe owner, referred to as B, shared A's post and emphasized, "There are residents too, but it looks like they did the filming late at night disrupting others. Isn't it courteous to ask for understanding first? They proceeded with construction until 11 p.m. despite objections."
Nonetheless, they acknowledged, "In fact, the Lee Dong-gun cafe is revitalizing the commercial district, so our parking lot and cafe are doing well this peak season," adding, "It's not because I'm worried about neighboring cafes' sales declining. I dislike seeing those who lack courtesy prosper more than making money."
Additionally, B mentioned, "To create 'a great vibe,' I'm considering changing the cafe name to 'Tiara Cafe' and encouraging people to take pictures of both the Lee Dong-gun cafe and ours. I have a style of paying back discourtesy with discourtesy," which was off-putting. This reference was to Lee Dong-gun's past public relationship with former Tiara member Ji-yeon. Eventually, B even created a cafe logo with 'Tiara' written in English.
After this post spread on social media and online communities, opinions were exchanged among internet users. Some reacted with comments like, "How can people living nearby sleep if there is construction until 11 p.m.? It was too much," "Nowadays, apartment (APT.) construction only happens until a set time," and "People living nearby have valid reasons to post such things."
However, some other internet users pointed out the nearby business owners, saying, "Why mention a former lover?" "This is a classic case of Jeju bias," "Are you now scared to visit Jeju cafes?" and "Isn't it just jealousy that Lee Dong-gun is opening a cafe?"
Meanwhile, details regarding Lee Dong-gun's cafe establishment are set to be revealed through the SBS variety show 'My Little Old Boy.' Previously, Lee Dong-gun stated that running a small cafe in Jeju Island had been a long-held dream. Additionally, it is reported that he took out a loan of 200 million won for startup capital, and filmed scenes operating the cafe during its soft opening with celebrities such as Lee Sang-min and Koo Bon-seung.
As interest focuses on Lee Dong-gun's cafe, it has been confirmed that his side is currently monitoring the situation closely. While they are not yet ready to make a statement, it is reported that they are discussing future response strategies while observing public sentiment.
[Photo] OSEN DB, SNS
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