Which Cafés Are Owned by K-Pop Idols?

Which cafes are owned by K-pop idols? The directly linked names include Mouse Rabbit, Haru & Oneday, and Penguin's Cafe. They also include Untitled, 2017, Midnight in Seoul, and Osechill. Their connections differ: opening a café, running it, and owning it are not interchangeable.

The names to start with—and the limit for planning

AI-generated image

Which cafes are owned by K-pop idols? Start with the relationship

AI-generated image

I start with the café name, then look at who actually has the business connection. The label “K-pop idol cafes” makes that sound simpler than it is. A café opened with a sibling belongs in a different category from a business run only by an idol's parents.

For a first visit, I would choose by that connection before building a route. If I want cafes owned by K-pop stars, a relative's business does not answer the same question. That distinction matters more to me than putting every celebrity-linked name on one list.

The direct idol connections, café by café

AI-generated image

Mouse Rabbit: Yesung and his younger brother

SUPER JUNIOR's Yesung opened Mouse Rabbit with his younger brother, Jong-jin. The brothers are also described as running it together. This is a direct idol connection with family involvement, not merely a relative's café.

Haru & Oneday: Donghae, with a brother connection

Haru & Oneday is described as run by SUPER JUNIOR's Donghae. It is also described as the café of Donghae and his brother, Lee Donghwa. Among cafes run by K-pop idols, this belongs in the direct-link group rather than the family-only group.

Penguin's Cafe: opened by Kim Sohye

Former IOI member Kim Sohye opened Penguin's Cafe. “Opened by” is the specific connection here. I would keep that wording rather than turn it into a claim about who manages the café today.

Untitled, 2017: G-Dragon's café and design involvement

Untitled, 2017 is described as BIGBANG member G-Dragon's café. He participated in conceiving and designing the business. That establishes a direct connection, but it does not describe his day-to-day operating role.

Midnight in Seoul: ownership transferred to Jo Kwon

2AM's Jo Kwon took over ownership of Midnight in Seoul. This is an explicit ownership connection, rather than a café linked only through an idol's relative.

Osechill: described as owned by Mino

Osechill is described as a café owned by Mino. The ownership wording is direct. It does not, by itself, tell me who takes orders or manages a shift.

The family-linked businesses belong in a separate group

I keep K-pop idols' family cafes separate from the direct connections above. These other named businesses have a parent connection. That is meaningful for fans, but it is not the same as idol ownership.

BBQ (Hapjeong Star Branch) is described as run by the parents of Infinite's Sungyeol. The stated operators are his parents, not Sungyeol.

BHC (Sadang Branch) was opened by the parents of Teen Top's Ricky. Its connection is through his parents opening the business.

Viva Polo (Yeolmae Branch) is described as operated by EXO member Chan Yeol's mother. This is a mother-run business, not a stated idol-run café.

Where the celebrity label can lead you wrong

The phrase “K-pop celebrity cafes” is where I can lose the useful distinctions. I separate the names first, then keep the exact relationship beside each one. That prevents a parent-run business from quietly becoming an idol-owned café in my trip notes.

I also would not plan around meeting an idol. Owning, opening, or designing a café is not a promise that the person will be behind the counter.

Branch names are another easy place to overreach. Hapjeong Star Branch, Sadang Branch, and Yeolmae Branch identify the businesses discussed here. They are not street addresses or directions to an entrance.

A transit guide for the next planning step

For getting around Seoul, T-money is a rechargeable transit card. I would handle that part of the trip separately from choosing a café.

T-money guide