Café in South Korea criticised for its ‘No-Chinese’ policy, sparks arguments online
A café in South Korea has come under fire for its “No-Chinese” policy. They say they have implemented the controversial policy because of strong opposition from local customers to Chinese tourists.
A South Korea-based Chinese influencer amplified the situation by sharing the story on his Instagram.
According to South Korean online publication Pressian, the incident comes amid a rise in anti-Chinese rallies conducted by conservative groups within the country.
Café enacts controversial policy
On 22 Oct, a Chinese influencer based in South Korea shared a post detailing a story he found online.
Source: @henryli4340 on Instagram
In the clip, he describes the café in question as “the most racist cafe [he’s] ever seen in Korea”. The café had allegedly refused a customer, despite them travelling a long way to visit it, simply because they were Chinese.
In fact, the influencer even points out that the café’s Instagram page explicitly states this in its bio. As of 29 Oct, the page still contains the phrase: “We’re sorry, we do not accept Chinese guests“.
Source: @permanent.habitat on Instagram
Incites arguments online
There has been a mixed response to the influencer’s video. While some denounce the café’s actions as discriminatory, many others also blame the tourists themselves.
According to Pressian, the café initially rolled out the policy on 21 Oct. In response to queries, the owner said they decided to enact the policy because local customers felt negatively toward Chinese people.
“When Chinese customers enter the café, the entire atmosphere of Korean customers changes,” the owner said. Not wanting to ruin local customer vibes, the owner instead decided to prevent Chinese customers from visiting entirely.
However, when asked if they considered this policy racist, they denied it. “It’s just an action to protect the store,” the owner said in response. “It’s not an anti-Chinese or racist act.”
They even added that once public sentiment against the Chinese dies down, they plan on accepting Chinese customers again.
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Featured image adapted from @henryli4340 on Instagram and @permanent.habitat on Instagram.
