{
  "id": 17733722,
  "title": "Lee Dong-gun addresses rumors his Jeju cafe 'failed' after just 18 months",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/lee-dong-gun-addresses-rumors-his-jeju-cafe-failed-after-just-18",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-02T03:07:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20261102/lee-dong-gun-addresses-rumors-his-jeju-cafe-failed-after-just-18-months"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Actor Lee Dong-gun has addressed rumors regarding the closure of his Jeju Island cafe, which had operated for nearly 18 months before shutting down. During a recent appearance on SBS variety show My Little Old Boy on November 1, Lee discussed the decision behind the cafe's closing, attributing it to the challenges of traveling back and forth between Seoul and Jeju Island. The actor was accompanied by fellow cast members Im Won-hee and Cho Jin-se, who were taken aback by the spatial designer Ryu Jeong-su's home featuring a swimming pool. Ryu jokingly commented on the difficulty of maintaining such a pool, to which Lee could relate, revealing that he had spent his first day at the cafe cleaning the pond. When confronted about the cafe's closure, Lee denied that it had simply failed, stating that he is now planning to relocate the cafe to Seoul. He explained that despite operating the cafe on Jeju Island for almost a year and a half, the frequent travel between the two locations proved to be a significant obstacle.",
  "summary": "Actor Lee Dong-gun has addressed rumors that his cafe on Jeju Island \"failed,\" shutting down just a year and a half after opening, saying the decision was driven by the difficulty of traveling back and forth from Seoul. On the Nov. 1 episode of SBS variety show \"My Little Old Boy,\" Lee visited spatial designer Ryu Jeong-su's studio with actors Im Won-hee and Cho Jin-se. The group was surprised to…",
  "key_points": [
    "Lee Dong-gun addressed rumors about his Jeju cafe's closure after 18 months.",
    "Actor cited travel between Seoul and Jeju Island as the main reason for closure.",
    "Lee plans to relocate the cafe to Seoul, according to SBS show."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Prioritizing logistical convenience over regional presence marks a strategic pivot for Lee as he attempts to stabilize his business by moving his Jeju cafe to the Seoul metropolitan area.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}