A Look Inside 19 Hongdae Maid Cafés: Two Caught Operating 'Live Shows'

[Financial News] Seoul Mapo Police Station conducted a focused crackdown on maid cafés in the Hongdae area and caught two businesses operating paid 'live shows.' According to police on the 10th, Seoul Mapo Police Station conducted an intensive crackdown on illegal business practices at maid cafés in its jurisdiction for about a month, from the 12th of last month through the 7th of this month.
There are currently 29 maid cafés operating in Mapo District, most of them registered as general restaurants. After gathering intelligence and conducting a fact-finding survey, police selected 19 businesses for inspection because they were deemed to face a high risk of illegal operations.
Police officers from Seoul Mapo Police Station, Geumcheon Police Station, Yeongdeungpo Police Station, and Seoul Guro Police Station participated in the crackdown, forming a joint inspection team.
Police focused on activities including repeatedly having minors participate in conversations that caused sexual shame or disgust, as well as employees drinking with customers or entertaining them through singing and dancing. Operating outside the premises, such as taking sticker photos with customers outside the business and charging them, was also included in the crackdown.
The crackdown found two businesses that accepted orders for a specific paid menu called a 'live show' and had employees dance to music on stages inside the establishments. Police booked the businesses on suspicion of violating business operators' obligations under the Food Sanitation Act.
Police explained that their earlier fact-finding survey had identified many businesses where employees drank together with customers or offered live-show menus. However, as public attention and crackdowns have continued, some business owners have also stopped offering those services.
[email protected] Choi Seung-han Reporter