What Happened to the Popular Jeju Cafe... Lee Hyori's Husband Shares His Feelings

Cafe Longplay to Close Business on May 31
Cafe Closure Reason Given as "Contract Period Has Ended"

Singer Lee Sang-soon, who runs the famous cafe Longplay in Jeju Island, announced the purpose of the cafe's reservation system and the reason for its closure in a YouTube video ahead of the cafe's scheduled closure on May 31.

On the 21st, a video introducing the Jeju cafe 'Longplay,' which is about to close, was uploaded on the YouTube channel 'Anstar.' The YouTuber said, "It is a space where you can enjoy music and coffee together. It was also a cafe that introduced specialty coffees from various regions and hardworking baristas," adding, "It has a good purpose and operating method, and business should be going well, so I'm curious why it is closing."

Lee Sang-soon stated that the reason for the cafe's closure was "the contract period ended." He said, "Since I created the Longplay brand, it is always open. If there is a good place and plan somewhere, I feel like I can do it anytime," adding, "Until this is over, I will wrap this up well and think about the next plan."
[Photo by YouTube channel 'Anstar']

Lee Sang-soon introduced the cafe name 'Longplay' as referring to LPs, saying, "When I go to cafes with poor sound quality, I can't stay long. I started this to create a space where I could drink coffee while listening to music I like." He continued, "I wanted to satisfy people who like it by opening every day without holidays and opening early in the morning. It was my desire," adding, "The cafe opens at 9 a.m., but the staff come in at 8 a.m. to brew coffee and set up together. Since the taste of coffee changes, I felt that quality checks were necessary. In the beginning, we cupped coffee every day before opening."

He believed that the main focus of the cafe should be the baristas, so he created an environment where customers could concentrate on the baristas and the coffee. He said, "When I have no other work, I try to come to the cafe. When I come, attention is drawn to me, so I stay briefly, set things up, and then leave," adding, "I come in the morning, play music, and if there are a moderate number of customers, I stay for a while and then leave. If I'm not there, I prepare a one-hour playlist and share it with the customers."

Regarding the reason for operating by reservation, he said, "On the opening day, July 1, 2022, it was moderately okay. My wife also came and took pictures of the neighborhood people, which she posted on Instagram," adding, "On July 2, when I came to work, there was a waiting line outside. We only accepted customers until noon and then closed to devise a plan. To prevent inconvenience to the neighborhood, we decided to operate by reservation." He added, "While operating the reservation system, I thought about giving up the cafe, but in conclusion, the reservation system was fine," and "Customers make reservations with difficulty, so they enjoy it to the fullest, and truly interested people come."

Meanwhile, Lee Sang-soon stated that the reason for the cafe's closure was "the contract period ended." He said, "Since I created the Longplay brand, it is always open. If there is a good place and plan somewhere, I feel I can do it anytime," adding, "Until this ends, I will finish this place well and think about the next plan." The cafe, which opened in July 2022, will cease operations on May 31. Due to the influx of many customers at the opening, a reservation system was introduced. Within a year of opening, it even received the 'Blue Ribbon,' a mark certifying it as a popular restaurant.

Meanwhile, the number of cafe closures in Jeju Island has recently surged. Last year, following 2022, the number of closures set a new record. It is presumed that the decline in tourists to Jeju due to the revival of overseas travel, along with sharply rising labor costs and rent, are the causes.