Room cafes blamed for corrupting teen morals in Korea

Social Affairs

Published: 08 Feb. 2023, 18:18 Updated: 09 Feb. 2023, 15:12

Room cafes blamed for corrupting teen morals in Korea

A room cafe in Daejeon investigated by the police on Tuesday [DAEJEON METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]

“Room cafes,” often referred to as “multi rooms,” are becoming a problem among teens in Korea.

Room cafes refer to businesses that are disguised as cafes offering snacks and drinks, but have spacious private rooms equipped with televisions and mattresses.

These facilities were initially intended to provide a space for people to fully rest, but as these rooms have beds and even locks installed, they have become a cheap hotel for many.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family requested local authorities to crack down on room cafes last week as teenagers are banned from using or working at such facilities, according to the Youth Protection Act, arguing that the establishments are closed spaces that could induce physical contact and sexual arousal.

The hallway of a room cafe in Daejeon that was inspected by the police on Tuesday [DAEJEON METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]

A room cafe located near Gangnam Station in southern Seoul is one place that received teenagers as their customers. According to the JoongAng Ilbo, the place has around 20 rooms along a central hallway.

Customers pay only 10,000 won ($8) per person to use a room for unlimited hours as long as there are empty rooms.

In a room approximately 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) by 1.8 meters, there's a mattress on the floor as well as a television. Customers can use video streaming services and even access R-rated content. Blankets are provided upon request.

“We do not check on the age of customers,” a part-time worker of the facility said.

Most of these room cafes are registered as restaurants or general businesses but could be reported and penalized according to the Public Health Control Act if they are seen as unregistered accommodation businesses.

Business owners could be fined up to 20 million won and receive two years in prison for violations.

“We could use the facility easily since no one checked our identification card,” said a teenage student with a friend leaving a room cafe in Gangnam Station.

Teenage students are the major customers of these supposed cafes.

“Over half of the customers on the weekend are teenage students,” said a part-time worker who has been working at a room cafe in the Hongdae area in central Seoul for five years.

These cafes first appeared in the early 2000s and became popular as customers could relax in separate spaces. At the time, the spaces were temporarily divided by materials such as curtains, but now, they have transformed into actual rooms with even lockable doors.

“Room cafes provide young customers with little money a place to relax at a cheap price,” said a source in the room cafe business.

Police in Daejeon on Tuesday investigated three room cafes that allowed teenagers to use the facilities. [DAEJEON METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]

Three room cafes that allowed teenagers to enter were inspected by the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency on Tuesday. The police will initiate investigations of three business owners on charges of violating the Youth Protection Act.

Seoul Metropolitan City will crack down on facilities that allow teenagers from Feb. 3 through Feb. 13.

“Pornography is taken into these room cafes, and as there are concerns about different crimes, intensified inspections are needed,” said Seo Min-su, a professor at the Police Human Resources Development Institute.

“Related ministries, including the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Health and Welfare and Ministry of Education, should actively tell people that these businesses are harmful and distort teen culture.”

As these places are registered as general businesses or restaurants, the government is having a hard time ascertaining just how many there are.

Some room cafes operate 24 hours, allowing customers to take a shower in their bathrooms.

A room cafe in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, writes on its website and social media pages that “underage customers can stay until 10 p.m.”

Another room cafe in Ganganam Station that is open all day advertises its facility as a place “where you can stay all night and sleep.”

Although these facilities are not considered accommodations like hotels and motels, they can be reported as unregistered accommodations if they actually provide such services.

“The ministry will work together with local government to strengthen inspections and crackdowns on room cafes that are operating accommodation-like businesses,” the Ministry of Health and Welfare said in a statement Tuesday.

BY CHAE HYE-SON, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]