In Seoul’s upscale Daechi district, café owner Hyun Sung-joo is grappling with a challenge. His shop is often filled with Cagongjok, young South Koreans who prefer studying or working in coffee shops. While they bring steady foot traffic, some push the limits.
“One customer brought two laptops and a six-port power strip, then camped here the whole day,” Hyun recalls. “With rent this high, I had no choice but to block the outlets.”
The rise of Cagongjok is reshaping café culture in South Korea. Unlike in the UK or US, where cafés are mostly social spaces, many in Seoul double as study halls. Starbucks Korea recently stepped in with nationwide guidelines to address “extreme cases,” such as customers setting up desktop monitors, printers, or leaving tables occupied for hours. Staff won’t eject customers, but they will “guide” them to ensure space is shared.
On a Thursday evening in Gangnam, a Starbucks is quietly buzzing, heads bent over laptops and textbooks. One student preparing for the university entrance exam spends nearly 11 hours a day there. “Sometimes I even leave my things and grab food nearby,” she admits.
While the new rules haven’t eliminated unattended laptops and long study sessions, they have sparked debate. Many welcome the policy, saying Cagongjok make it hard to find seats or enjoy conversations freely. Others argue it’s unnecessary interference.
Independent cafés are divided. Some, like Hyun’s, tolerate long study hours as long as customers are considerate. Others have imposed stricter measures. In Jeonju, one owner banned studying after two people routinely occupied space for 10, leaving books and laptops behind while they went out for meals.
Why do so many choose cafés over libraries or shared workspaces? For some, it’s about comfort. “Home wasn’t safe growing up,” says 29-year-old Yu-jin Mo. “Even now, I can’t be alone. Cafés make me feel grounded.”
Experts say Cagongjok reflects South Korea’s hyper-competitive society. “These young people aren’t just being difficult, they’re products of an environment with limited public spaces,” explains Professor Choi Ra-young of Ansan University. She calls for more inclusive study-friendly areas that balance the needs of students with those of café owners.
For now, the hum of laptops and clinking of coffee cups suggests that Cagongjok is here to stay, reshaping South Korea’s café culture one seat at a time.
