Singer Lee Hyo-ri shared her husband Lee Sang-soon's experience running a cafe, offering realistic advice.
In the 15th episode of JTBC's variety program "Love War," broadcast on the 5th, a "unemployed couple" dealing with conflicts over job hunting and consumption habits appeared.
On that day, when the girlfriend revealed her desire to start a cafe in the future based on her past experience working as a cafe manager, Lee Hyo-ri asked, "Do you know how hard it is to start a cafe?"
Upon hearing this, Han Hae confessed that he also had an experience of failing after running a cafe. Han Hae said, "I am an experienced person. I have failed at a cafe before. It doesn't feel like someone else's story," adding, "It didn't last long. About 3 to 4 years ago, it was a place in Sangam-dong that sold yogurt and coffee together." He then mentioned competition with low-priced coffee franchises, explaining the situation at the time by saying, "What is 2,000 won for coffee? The coffee franchise next door sells it for 900 won."
In particular, Han Hae emphasized the costs involved in running a cafe. He stated, "Starting a cafe may seem romantic, but thinking about the rent is truly hell," and added, "I ran it for about two years. For six months, I was doing business, and for one year and six months, I was just enduring." He then advised, "The loss alone was 150 million to 200 million won. Never start a cafe."
Lee Hyo-ri also brought up her husband Lee Sang-soon's experience running a cafe in Jeju. Lee Hyo-ri said, "Lines of several hundred meters formed at my husband's cafe, and it was a huge commotion, but even so, we couldn't make much money," adding, "Cafes are risky."
Lee Sang-soon opened a cafe in Jeju in July 2022 and operated it for about two years. In the early days of its opening, it attracted attention as long waiting lines formed due to a rush of customers, and it later transitioned to an appointment-only system. This cafe ended its business on May 31, 2024.
in ENTERTAINMENT
