A concept cafe in Mapo District, western Seoul, on May 15 [OH SAM-GWON]
So-called concept cafes — themed cafes where employees serve customers while wearing revealing outfits — are gaining popularity across Korea, raising concerns that a new form of quasi-sexual entertainment is expanding without proper regulation.
Critics caution that minors are being exposed to sexually suggestive environments because the cafes are legally registered as ordinary restaurants, which allows underage customers and workers despite increasingly provocative business practices such as sparkling wine service and intimate photo sessions.
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Six female employees dressed in revealing “delinquent”-style outfits greeted customers during a themed “Yankee Day” event at one concept cafe in Mapo District, western Seoul, on May 15. The roughly 30-square-meter (323-square-foot) venue contained a small stage and six round tables.
