Lee Dong-gun Responds to Neglect Claims Over Closed Jeju Cafe

The venture that brought a celebrity’s lifestyle directly to the island’s bustling coast has formally concluded its run at its original site.

From Variety Show Startup to Jeju Reorganization

The cafe’s journey began with high public visibility. Opened in April last year, Oasis 80 was designed around an exotic resort concept featuring a pink building with palm trees and tropical plants. The establishment gained immediate traction, drawing long waiting lines from visitors.

That high-profile launch was closely tracked by television audiences. Through the SBS variety program ‘We Are Not Alone,’ viewers watched Lee disclose the preparation process for his start-up, including a loan of about 200 million won for the start-up of a Jeju cafe through a bank.

Despite the initial buzz, the Jeju operation’s physical run was relatively brief. Oasis 80 announced through its official social media account on July 6, As of July 9, we will be taking time for reorganization. We sincerely thank everyone who has cared for and visited Oasis 80. However, it did not separately disclose the length of the reorganization period, a reopening date, or plans for future operations. Before that, Oasis 80 had also temporarily closed for interior construction and relocation work, and visitors who went to the store continued to post reviews saying that construction was still underway, fueling questions about its operating status.

Online Video Sparks Pond Maintenance Controversy

Public attention turned back to the property when a video was released on the YouTube channel ‘Kangho’s Foot TV’ (also cited as ‘Kangho’s Footsteps TV’) titled Lee Dong-geon also failed and left. Don't even dream of living in a barren Jeju. The released video shows the YouTuber visiting the cafe “Oasis80,” which Lee Dong-geon operated in Aewol, Jeju, and revealed the current appearance of the cafe, pointing out a pond built as an interior in the cafe’s outdoor space.

The clip highlighted the outdoor pond—once a key space that completed the exotic atmosphere of ‘Oasis 80’—showing the water appearing a deep green with fallen leaves and various floating debris, suggesting it has not been managed for a considerable period. Dry grass and dust had also accumulated on the stairs and ground around the pond, with the cameraman explaining on-site that the water has caused insects to breed in large numbers.

A netizen who identified himself as a family member of a nearby resident appeared in the video comment, claiming, The damage to families who live next to them and run cafes is too severe because of the bugs. If you fail, you have to clean up and leave. Another netizen similarly pointed out that the pond should have been cleaned up before leaving, claiming it was an original facility and that local residents or merchants could suffer from pests.

At the same time, commentators noted that it is difficult to determine the hygiene status and management of the pond only by the appearance in the video, nor has it been confirmed whether a massive insect outbreak has actually caused harm to nearby residents or merchants. Above all, since there is currently no clear space manager, the part of whether to attribute the management responsibility of Lee, who operated the cafe until July, should be approached carefully.

Agency Response and New Tenant Arrival

Responding to the mounting online discussion, a representative of Lee Dong-geon’s agency told StarNews:

“The cafe Oasis already ceased operations in July. We completed all legal procedures before leaving.”

A representative of Lee Dong-geon’s agency, via StarNews

The representative continued:

“We understand another store has been operating since August. Since we haven’t visited after closing, confirmation is difficult. As another shop has already taken over the space, this is not a matter we can intervene in.”

A representative of Lee Dong-geon’s agency, via StarNews

Public records and social media reviews confirm that a retail entity from a different brand took over the address. Visitors returning to the location—formerly located at 26-7 Aewol-ro 1-gil, Aewol-eup, Jeju City, Jeju Province—found that Lee Dong-geon’s café was gone, and that Heisan Store had opened in Jeju Province. In fact, the site is now home to Heisan’s Jeju flagship store.

Heisan appears to have been preparing its store at the location even before Oasis 80 announced its reorganization. A job posting published in April for employees at the Heisan Jeju Aewol-eup flagship store listed the workplace as 26-7 Aewol-ro 1-gil, Aewol-eup, Jeju City, Jeju Province—the same address as Oasis 80. At the time, Heisan described the location as Heisan’s first offline store, the Jeju Aewol-eup store, and announced that it was scheduled to open in June.

While Oasis 80 has concluded its run at the Aewol location, Lee had previously mentioned preparing to open a new location in Seoul, though no specific plans were disclosed. Meanwhile, Lee married actress Cho Yoon-hee in 2017, welcomed a daughter that same year, but divorced in 2020, and has continued his television appearances, including currently appearing on JTBC’s ‘Divorce Cooling-off Camp.’