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Restaurants serve up job opportunities for people with borderline intellectual functioning, disabilities

Published: 09 Jan. 2026, 08:00

The interior of the Youth Bapsang Mungan Slow's Ansan branch in Gyeonggi [CHOI MO-RAN]

At a tiny basement restaurant in Ansan, Gyeonggi, a young adult greets customers at a self-service kiosk. The restaurant is unassuming, but its message is not: Everyone deserves a chance to work.

Working at the restaurant, Youth Bapsang Mungan Slow, are four employees who are classified as having borderline intellectual functioning — a condition characterized by slower learning, vocabulary acquisition and social skill development compared to peers. People with this condition often struggle with employment due to slower responses and other challenges.

Youth Bapsang Mungan Slow features the Korean words bapsang (dining table) and mungan (doorway), and is run by Youth Mungan, a nonprofit supporting young adults.

“I was fired from my last part-time job because they said I was too slow, but here, customers know I have borderline intellectual functioning and tell me it’s okay when I make mistakes,” the employee in their 20s said. “I enjoy working here. It’s fun.”

An employee with borderline intellectual functioning works at the Youth Bapsang Mungan Slow's Ansan branch in Gyeonggi. [BUGOK GENERAL SOCIAL WELFARE CENTER]

Youth Mungan’s restaurant project was founded in 2015 after the public became aware of the tragic story of a young person who died of hunger while living in a gosiwon, or low-cost studio apartments, with the aim of preventing hunger among young adults. Youth Bapsang Mungan’s first branch opened in December 2017 in the Jeongneung neighborhood in Seongbuk District, central Seoul, followed by locations near Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, as well as in Nakseongdae in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, and Daehangno in Jongno District, central Seoul.

The Ansan branch opened in February of last year. The Daehangno, Nakseongdae and Ansan locations collectively employ 20 people with borderline intellectual functioning. Some branches hire young adults with financial difficulties, while others specifically hire borderline intellectual functioning people.

As part of the organization's mission to prevent a tragedy similar to the 2015 death, the menu consists of a single item: kimchi jjigae (stew), priced at just 3,000 won ($2). During lunch hour, the roughly 20-seat eatery quickly fills up. About 30 to 40 customers of all ages are said to visit daily.

“It’s delicious and affordable, so I come two to three times a week. I returned from an overseas trip because I was able to save enough on food,” Jung Ye-ji, a regular, said.

Kimchi jjigae (stew) served at Youth Bapsang Mungan Slow's Ansan branch in Gyeonggi [CHOI MO-RAN]

“It’s true that employees with borderline intellectual functioning may work more slowly than others, but they’re diligent and learn tasks accurately once taught,” Lim Tae-il, the manager of the Ansan branch, said.

Youth Mungan plans to increase job opportunities for people with borderline intellectual functioning, including converting its Ewha Womans University branch into a branch that hires borderline intellectual functioning people this July.

In the Buk District of Pohang, North Gyeongsang, another inclusive eatery has found success — a sign language restaurant where most of the staff are deaf or have limited hearing. For just 7,000 won, customers can enjoy a buffet of Korean dishes.

Communication relies more on gestures and writing than spoken words. The establishment, named Signing Restaurant, was born out of an intent to offer jobs.

“I started the restaurant with four women in their 40s who are not only great cooks but passionate about doing what they’re best at," said Kim So-hyang, the owner.

Signing Restaurant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, where customers can enjoy a buffet of Korean dishes [SIGNING RESTAURANT]

When it opened in September 2017, business was slow — daily sales were sometimes just 7,000 or 14,000 won. But as word spread about the food, customers began lining up.

“Many people initially worried about communication, but now they find gestures and writing easier and more fun,” Kim said.

As business rose, so did the restaurant. A second location opened nearby, and the team has since launched catering and buffet services. The staff has expanded from four to 12, including five who are deaf, one with an intellectual disability and six nondisabled employees. The restaurant also hired eight part-time workers who are all deaf.

“I was concerned that communication might become an issue when we hired nondisabled people who receive basic livelihood benefits,” Kim said. “But we focused on assigning tasks that suited each person, like shopping and deliveries, and it actually created great teamwork.”

The restaurant now generates annual sales between 1 billion and 1.2 billion won.

Food served at Signing Restaurant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, where customers can enjoy a buffet of Korean dishes [SIGNING RESTAURANT]

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the employment rate for people with disabilities in Korean companies declined from 50.3 percent in 2022 to 49.8 percent in 2023, and further to 48.4 percent in 2024. While there are about 104 cafes for people with disabilities operated by public institutions nationwide, disability-friendly restaurants remain extremely rare.

“There are an estimated 7 million people in Korea with borderline intellectual functioning, but they are not officially recognized as having disabilities, and therefore lack access to related legal protections or support,” Lee Seong-gu, secretary general of Youth Bapsang Mungan, said.

Noting that people with borderline intellectual functioning or disabilities can struggle with employment due to stereotypes, Lee said, “We ask society to challenge that prejudice.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI MO-RAN [[email protected]]