The Cagongjok Issue: How South Korean Cafés Handle Students Who Refuse To Leave

Shawn

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Post on Aug 25, 2025

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The Cagongjok Issue: How South Korean Cafés Navigate the Student "Hangout" Problem

South Korea's café culture is vibrant, a crucial part of daily life and a popular study spot for students. But this popularity has led to a growing problem: cagongjok (카공족), or students who occupy tables for hours, often studying or working on their laptops, without purchasing much beyond a single drink. This creates challenges for café owners, forcing them to navigate a delicate balance between accommodating students and ensuring profitability. This article explores the various strategies South Korean cafés are employing to address the cagongjok issue.

The Cagongjok Dilemma: A Balancing Act

The rise of cagongjok is a complex issue. Cafés provide a comfortable, Wi-Fi-enabled environment ideal for studying, contributing to their popularity among students. However, when students occupy tables for extended periods with minimal purchases, it impacts the café's bottom line. This is especially problematic during peak hours when seating is limited. The issue isn't simply about revenue; it’s about fair access to seating for paying customers.

Strategies Employed by South Korean Cafés

Cafés are implementing various strategies to manage this situation, ranging from subtle suggestions to more direct approaches:

• Time Limits: Some cafés subtly implement time limits, encouraging customers to vacate tables after a certain period, often indirectly through staff interactions or signage suggesting the turnover of seats. This approach avoids direct confrontation but might not be effective for all students.

• Minimum Spend Requirements: A more direct approach involves implementing a minimum spending requirement after a certain timeframe. This clearly communicates expectations to customers and ensures a degree of revenue generation per occupied seat.

• Designated Study Spaces: An increasing number of cafés are creating designated study spaces, sometimes with a slightly higher minimum order requirement. This caters to students while ensuring fair access to regular seating for other customers.

• Improved Customer Service and Communication: Many cafés focus on improving customer service and communication. Friendly reminders about ordering more drinks or food can encourage students to spend more without creating a negative atmosphere.

• Utilizing Technology: Some cafés explore using technology to manage seating, possibly through reservation systems or apps that track table usage and spending. This could be a solution for larger establishments.

The Ethical Considerations

The handling of cagongjok presents ethical considerations. While cafés need to ensure profitability, they also play a role in the community, providing spaces for students and others. A heavy-handed approach could damage the café's reputation and alienate students. Therefore, a balance is crucial – finding a way to manage the situation without alienating a significant portion of their customer base.

The Future of Cafés and Cagongjok

The cagongjok issue is likely to continue evolving. As café culture remains prevalent in South Korea, and the demands on students continue to rise, finding a sustainable solution will remain a challenge. The strategies discussed above offer a range of potential solutions, demonstrating the adaptability of South Korean café owners in response to a unique societal trend. Further innovation and collaboration between cafés and students may be necessary to create a mutually beneficial environment. Ultimately, open communication and a customer-centric approach will be key to effectively managing the cagongjok phenomenon.