South Korean cafes are struggling with students who do not leave

There is a dilemma in the wealthy Seoul district of Seoul in Daecchi.

His cafe is sometimes visited by Cagongjok, a term for mostly young South Koreans who like to study or work in cafes, but has a limit.

He says a customer has recently created a workspace in his cafe, which includes two laptops and six portal power tape to charge all their devices – all day long.

“In the end, I blocked the power protection sites,” he told the BBC.

“With the high Daechi rents, it’s hard to manage a cafe if someone takes up space all day.”

Cagongjok’s cultural phenomenon is growing in South Korea, especially in areas with a large number of students and office workers. They are often dominated by cafes on a much larger scale than other Western countries such as the United Kingdom, where those who study are often surrounded by others to socialize.

And Starbucks Korea warned this month that a The minority of people go further than just laptopsSuch as the introduction of desktop monitors, printers, separation of desks or leaving tables unattended for long periods.

The chain is already launching national guidelines aimed at limiting a “small number of extreme cases” where complex settings or prolonged blanks violate other customers.

Starbucks said the staff would not ask the customers to leave, but more recently to provide “guidelines” when needed. He also cites previous cases of theft when customers leave items unattended, calling the new instructions “step towards a more convenient environment for stores”.

It does not seem to be deterred by the more moderate Cagongjok, for whom Starbucks has been somehow refuge in recent years and continues to be.

On Thursday night in the Gangnam neighborhood in Seoul, Starbucks branch is quietly buzzing with customers who study, heads for laptops and books.

Among them is an 18-year-old student who dropped out of school and preparing for the entrance exam of Suneung.

“I get here around 11am and stay until 10:00 pm,” she says to the BBC. “Sometimes I leave my things and go to eat nearby.”

During our visits to Starbucks, we did not see any volume equipment, as the new instructions were issued on August 7, although we saw a man with a laptop, keyboard and mouse stand. Some customers still seem to leave their seats unattended for long periods, with laptops and books being distributed in tables.

Asked if his new restrictions led to visible changes, Starbucks Korea told the BBC that it was “difficult to confirm”.

Starbucks course reactions are mixed. Most welcome the policy as a step in the long -term plan to restore normality in how cafes are used.

This is especially among those who visit Starbucks for relaxation or conversation that say that it has become difficult to find places because of Cagongjok and that the muffled atmosphere often makes them feel self -conscious to speak freely.

Some of them have criticized it as an over -saying that the chain has abandoned its previous hand approach.

It reflects a broader public discussion in South Korea because of Cagongjok, which has been boiling since it began to take off in 2010, coinciding with the growth of franchised cafes in the country. This continues to grow, with the country observing an increase of 48% in cafes in the last five years, according to the National Tax Service, near 100,000.

About 70% of people in a recent study of more than 2000 Gen Z job seekers in South Korea through the Jinhaksa Catch staff recruitment platform said they had studied at cafes at least once a week.

Dealing with “Hogging Seat” and related problems is a difficult balance, and independent cafes are struggling with such a thing, they have expanded a number of approaches.

While Hyun has had experience of customers who wear multiple electronic devices and create workstations, he says extreme cases like this are rare.

“These are maybe two or three people in a hundred,” says the owner of the cafe at 15 years. “Most people are careful. Some even order another drink if they stay long, and I’m perfectly well with that.”

Hyun’s Cafe, which the locals also use as a space for conversation or private training still welcomes Cagongjok as long as they respect the shared space.

Some other franchises of the cafe even take care of them with electrical objects, individual desks and longer stays for stay.

But others have taken the more stringent steps. Kim, the owner of a Jeonju café, who asked the BBC to remain anonymous, introduced a “no study area” policy after repeated complaints about monopolizing space.

“Two people would come in and take space for 10. Sometimes they would leave for meals and return to study for seven or eight hours,” he says. “In the end, we put a sign that says it is a space for conversation, not learning.”

Now his café allows a maximum of two hours for those who use it to study or work. The rule does not apply to regular customers who just drink coffee.

“I made the policy to prevent potential conflicts between customers,” Kim says.

So, what is behind the trend and why so much in South Korea do they need to work or study in cafes, not in libraries, shared workspaces or at home?

For some, the cafe is more than an atmospheric space; This is a place to feel grounded.

Yu-Jin Mo, 29, tells the BBC about his experience growing in foster care. “The home was not a safe place. I lived with my father in a small container, and sometimes he locked the door outside and left me alone inside.”

Even now, as an adult, it is difficult for her to be alone. “As I wake up, I go to a cafe. I tried libraries and study cafes, but they felt suffocating,” she says.

Later, I d -Mo even manages her own cafe for a year, hoping to offer a space where people like her can feel comfortable staying and learning.

Professor Choi Ra-Yang of the University of Ansan, who has studied all life education for more than two decades, sees Cagongjok as a cultural phenomenon formed by the hyper-concomplete society of South Korea.

“This is a youth culture created by the society we have built,” she told the BBC. “Most Cagongjok are probably job seekers or students. They are under pressure – whether it is scientists, job uncertainty or housing without windows and without a place of training.

“Somehow, these young people are victims of a system that does not provide enough public space to work or learn,” she adds. “They can be considered as inconvenience, but they are also a product of the social structure.”

Professor Choi said it was time to create more inclusive spaces. “We need guidance and environments that allow you to study a cafe – without disturbing others – if we want to adapt this culture realistic.”