Lee Dong-gun addresses Jeju cafe neglect controversy

Actor Lee Dong-gun has addressed the "neglect controversy" surrounding his Jeju cafe, 'Oasis80,' stating, "We cleared everything out before leaving."

Following the closure of the cafe's operations, criticisms were raised regarding the maintenance of the outdoor pond. However, Lee's representatives have made it clear that they are no longer involved in the management or operational status of the space.

A representative from Lee's agency told Xports News on the 11th regarding the Jeju cafe, "The cafe has been completely cleared out." Regarding the fact that another store has moved into the former cafe site, they explained, "Since we cleared everything out before leaving, we cannot know the situation that followed."

'Oasis80' was a space that garnered significant attention as Lee personally revealed the startup process and his management of the business. Through the SBS variety show 'My Little Old Boy,' Lee revealed that running a cafe in Jeju had been a long-held dream, showing everything from the process of renovating an old house to preparing for business.

Opened last April, the cafe featured sand coffee, which uses high-temperature sand to extract coffee. In the early stages, it received enough interest to create waiting lines, and it even showed movements to expand the brand beyond the regional limitations of Jeju by opening a pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.

However, the business did not last long. The cafe entered a temporary hiatus starting in June this year, and on July 6, it announced through its official SNS, "As of July 9, we have entered a period of reorganization."

At that time, specific plans such as the reorganization period, the timing of a reopening, or whether the business would relocate were not disclosed.

Subsequently, a flagship store for a fashion brand moved into the former cafe's location. Due to this, external interpretations suggested that the business had effectively closed or relocated, but the former 'Oasis80' side had not officially declared bankruptcy. As Lee's side also explained that they have already cleared out the space, there is an increasing need to view the termination of the Jeju store's operations and future business plans separately.

The direct trigger for the controversy was the pond constructed outside the cafe. Recently, through a YouTube channel, images were released showing fallen leaves and floating debris in the pond—which had been introduced as a characteristic space of the cafe—along with weeds and foreign substances accumulating around it, leading to criticisms that it was not being properly maintained.

Some even claimed that because the water appeared to have been stagnant for a long time, it could cause insect infestations and damage to nearby residents or the surrounding commercial district. However, as it has not been confirmed who the current management entity of the pond is, whether there are actual problems with water quality or hygiene, or whether specific damage has occurred in the vicinity, it is difficult to immediately link this to the claim that Lee neglected the cafe.

In fact, Lee's current explanation is interpreted as a way to distinguish the scope of responsibility. The intent is that he has finished clearing out the cafe space he previously operated, and if another business operator is operating at that location, he is not responsible for subsequent facility management.

It has been confirmed that another brand's store has actually moved into the address in question. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious about blaming the former operator based solely on the condition of external facilities without distinguishing between the former 'Oasis80' space and the management area of the business currently using that location.

This controversy is an example of how complex responsibility can be regarding celebrities' self-employed businesses. When a celebrity personally reveals the management process through broadcasts or SNS, the image of the business is strongly linked to the individual's brand, but once operations end, separate legal and business relationships, such as lease agreements and facility management entities, come into play.

Particularly in Lee's case, since he has stated several times that 'Oasis80' was not a simple investment business but a space that realized his long-held dream, the short operating period of the cafe and the subsequent changes in the space received even greater attention. Since the startup and management process were introduced in detail to the public through broadcasts at the time of opening, public interest naturally continued even after the end of operations.

That said, the termination of the Jeju business does not mean the end of Lee's culinary endeavors. Lee previously mentioned that he is preparing a new type of business in Seoul, and his agency stated, "The schedule for the relocation and opening has not yet been determined." In other words, while the Jeju location has been cleared, the future direction of the business itself is not entirely closed.

A celebrity's cafe startup can gain significant promotional effects when combined with broadcast content, but it must navigate the same realistic variables as any other small business, such as location, operating costs, staffing, and brand sustainability. Lee's 'Oasis80' serves as a case showing that topicality alone cannot guarantee the sustainability of a business.

Ultimately, the facts are clear: the Jeju cafe operated by Lee is no longer in business at that location, and the space is being used by another brand. Lee's side has stated they have cleared out the space and are unaware of the subsequent situation.

The remaining question is whether 'Oasis80,' which disappeared from Jeju, will resurface in Seoul. While no specific schedule has been set, whether Lee's cafe challenge—which began as a "lifelong dream"—ends as a short experiment in Jeju or opens a second chapter in a new location depends on his future choices.