- Starbucks is having a problem with South Korean ‘cagonjok’
- People are setting up desktops, screens and even printers in public spaces
- The number of coffee shops in South Korea has doubled in a decade
Starbucks stores across South Korea are reportedly putting up signs asking customers not to set up mobile offices in their stores in a crackdown on mobile workers.
The Korean Herald shared pictures of signs displayed across stores in the country warning customers to be considerate about how they use spaces in the stores: “Personal desktops, printers, power strips and screens cannot be used in the store.”
It’s not uncommon to see individuals working in Starbucks stores (and any other coffee shops) globally, however it’s clearly becoming a particular problem in South Korea, where a tribe of coffee shop workers appears to have formed.
Starbucks asks customers not to bring their work to the store
With the signs, Starbucks is targeting a small but president group known as ‘cagonjok’ – a portmanteau of Korean words for ‘cafe’ and ‘study tribe’.
“At tables that can be used by several people, please be considerable so that other customers can also use them,” the sign reads (translated from Korean).
Cagonjok have been seen with full-on desk setups in stores, including desktops, separate peripherals and even partitions and office pods.
“If you leave your seat for a long time, please be sure to take your belongings with you to ensure smooth seating use,” the sign adds.
Laptops and ordinary studying remain permitted, but the company is tackling more permanent use of its spaces for working.
The Korean Herald notes that the number of coffee shops in the country has nearly doubled since 2015, largely driven by a trend of remote working, however estimates from The Korea Foodservice Industry Research Institute suggest , the price of a coffee only covers one hour and 31 minutes of seat time before it becomes unprofitable.
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