[My Person] Owner of Unmanned Cafe 'Manwolgyeong' "Capital 500,000 KRW, 410 Stores in 3 Years"

Started in a Small 4-Pyeong Space at Store No.1
Entered the US Market Through Major Distributors
"Recommended for Prospective Entrepreneurs Retiring or Leaving Childcare"

"Manwolgyeong is a name that embodies the image of a whale embracing all things and the warmth of moonlight. At 'Cafe Manwolgyeong,' where the lights never go out 24 hours a day, feel free to rest without worrying about anyone's gaze."

Kim Jaehwan, CEO of the cafe Manwolgyeong, is conducting an interview with Asia Economy in front of Manwolgyeong's coffee machine on the 10th. Photo by Moon Hyewon

There is a place that started as a small private cafe in front of a house and grew into a corporation with an annual sales scale of 6 billion KRW within a year. Led by young entrepreneur Kim Jaehwan, a former journalist, 'Cafe Manwolgyeong' is a 24-hour unmanned cafe franchise.

On the 10th, the reporter met CEO Kim, who began selling coffee in 2021 with a capital of 500,000 KRW in a small store of about 4 pyeong (approximately 13.2 square meters) in an apartment complex shopping area while working at a media company. This store was created based on Kim’s experience working part-time at over 50 places including cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and pet cafes since his third year of high school.

While making and selling various coffees and beverages, he had to handle customer service alone, and the store interior was entirely his responsibility. Constantly communicating with customers and researching the taste of coffee, interior design, and commercial districts, he gained word-of-mouth around the neighborhood. As inquiries to open second and third branches flooded in, this became the starting point for the current franchise business.

In September 2021, as the franchise business was officially launched, Manwolgyeong expanded nationwide and has now grown into a franchise with about 410 branches. The headquarters has grown into a company with about 70 employees, including a business planning office, brand strategy office, marketing team, and design team.

Kim Jaehwan, CEO of Cafe Manwolgyeong, is introducing the coffee machine of Manwolgyeong on the 10th. Photo by Moon Hyewon

The brand name Manwolgyeong originated from the name of the first store Kim operated, 'The Whale.' Manwolgyeong combines 'Manwol,' meaning full moon, and the Chinese character 'Gyeong (鯨),' meaning whale. It is said to be a name that contains the image of a whale embracing all things and the warmth of moonlight. True to its name, Manwolgyeong stores nationwide are decorated with interiors featuring white backgrounds and blue moon or whale illustrations.

Manwolgyeong is a franchise holding a construction business registration certificate (interior construction business), and the headquarters directly manages the store interiors. Since the headquarters' interior team handles all processes including measurement, 3D modeling, construction, and styling, costs can be efficiently maintained, according to CEO Kim. He explained, "By managing the interior directly, we can reduce costs without middle margins," adding, "This is part of our effort to provide services at reasonable prices to consumers."

Acquiring a coffee machine manufacturer (Release Tech) to strengthen technical capabilities was for the same reason. CEO Kim explained that transparent disclosure of costs allows maintaining appropriate pricing. He said, "We created a 'consumer-centered' store that provides a resting space where consumers can enjoy affordable and delicious drinks without worrying about anyone's gaze."

To implement a win-win strategy with franchisees, CEO Kim’s principle is to never charge separate franchise fees, royalties, training fees, or promotional fees to store owners. He said that many retired office workers, public servants, and prospective entrepreneurs who have finished childcare duties (Yuktoe) are inquiring about opening franchises. He explained, "Since the coffee machine occupies only about 1m by 1m of space in each store, it can be operated sufficiently in a minimum space of 4 pyeong. With a minimum capital of 50 million KRW, you can open a store, so even the children of prospective entrepreneurs recommend the franchise business."

Manwolgyeong is actively developing sales channels for local market entry in the U.S. and Japan, aiming for full-scale overseas expansion next year. CEO Kim stated, "We have signed a contract to export at least 25 coffee machines annually with KW International, a large U.S. logistics company headquartered in California," adding, "We plan to sequentially proceed with machine import inspections, starting by installing one machine each in Los Angeles, California, and Dallas, Texas."