Seoul Cafe Under Fire for 'No Chinese' Policy Backtracks, Removes Sign
A cafe in Seoul's Sungsu-dong neighborhood, embroiled in controversy for posting a notice refusing service to Chinese customers, has decided to remove the offending signage. The decision appears to be the result of an investigation and active persuasion by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. The cafe reportedly experienced business difficulties following the controversy.
On November 3, 2025, the National Human Rights Commission announced that it had received a complaint that the cafe's policy of refusing customers of a specific nationality constituted discrimination and immediately launched an investigation. The Commission deemed the matter to be a potentially serious act of discrimination and swiftly initiated investigation procedures.
The National Human Rights Commission recently held a direct meeting with the cafe owner, strongly urging them to immediately remove the 'No Chinese' notice posted on the cafe's social media account. An official from the Human Rights Commission emphasized, "Refusing service based on a specific nationality constitutes a clear act of discrimination, and is a serious matter of human rights infringement."
The cafe owner reportedly accepted the continuous persuasion and recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission and signed a written pledge to remove the problematic discriminatory notice. The owner stated, "I am sorry for causing concern to many people due to this incident," and added, "From now on, we will welcome guests of all nationalities without discrimination."
The cafe had previously posted an English notice that included the phrase, "We are sorry but we don't serve Chinese." This notice quickly spread through online communities and social media, drawing fierce criticism.
The controversy began when a visitor, presumed to be Chinese, claimed they were denied entry to the cafe and shared their experience in detail on social media. The post quickly garnered hundreds of thousands of views, causing a significant stir online.
As the wave of criticism spread uncontrollably, the National Human Rights Commission recognized the seriousness of the matter and launched an immediate investigation. The Commission emphasized, "We will use this incident as an opportunity to raise awareness of the discriminatory attitudes prevalent in our society and create a more equitable society."
Jung Won-oh, the Mayor of Seongdong-gu, Seoul, stated on his social media account on October 27, 2025, that he had "received inquiries about a store in Seongdong-gu displaying racist behavior." Mayor Jung responded that he would "actively persuade the business and demand corrective action."
Meanwhile, on October 29, 2025, Seongdong-gu successfully held the '2025 Seongdong-gu Housing Policy Forum' to improve the residential stability and quality of life of its residents. The forum featured in-depth discussions on various housing issues, and practical policy alternatives were presented.
Over the past four years, Seongdong-gu has actively promoted the 'Dangerous Residence Improvement Project' and the 'Elderly Fall Prevention Home Care' project, significantly contributing to improving the housing environment and safety of vulnerable groups. In particular, the 'Dangerous Residence Improvement Project' was launched based on a comprehensive survey of semi-basement houses conducted by Seongdong-gu for the first time in the country in 2022.
Seongdong-gu's pioneering comprehensive survey of semi-basement housing, using a grading system, was expanded to the entire city of Seoul in 2023, and in 2024, semi-basement/rooftop room items were newly included in the Population and Housing Census, reflecting the achievement in national statistics. This is evaluated as a representative example of how Seongdong-gu's policy innovation efforts have led to national policy changes.
Seongdong-gu also won the prestigious Presidential Award at the '21st Korea Local Autonomy Management Awards' hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in September 2025, in recognition of its creative policy implementation and excellent management performance. This is the result of Seongdong-gu's recognition for its contribution to improving the quality of life of its residents through continuous innovation.
