Okay, tea time but make it messy — Chenle of NCT DREAM popped into a couple of fan-run birthday cafes over the weekend for his Nov. 22 birthday and even paid for drinks for fans. Sounds wholesome, right? One cafe, though, quickly became the opposite.
According to fans who were there and recorded the interaction, Chenle offered to prepay for 50 drinks. The cafe owner allegedly swiped 500,000 KRW (about $340) instead of handling the order as expected, then refused to hand out the freebies or birthday perks that normally come with prepaid drink bundles. Fans say staff spoke rudely and used informal language toward attendees when they tried to sort it out after Chenle left. The whole exchange blew up online and the cafe is getting major backlash and calls to be “canceled.”
Fans shared clips and screenshots on X/Twitter describing the moment: Chenle said he would cover 50 drinks, the owner charged 500,000 KRW, then later denied the freebies and responded rudely when asked to fix it. Reactions ranged from anger at the owner to concern for Chenle having his goodwill exploited.
As you’d expect, people online called out the cafe and urged others not to host birthday events there anymore. It’s a reminder that fan projects—especially ones involving idols personally stopping by—need to be handled with care and proper etiquette.
Quick context for anyone new to this:
- Chenle (Zhong Chenle) is a member of NCT DREAM and his birthday is Nov. 22 — fans often run themed cafes to celebrate idols’ birthdays.
- Birthday cafes are usually fan-organized pop-ups where groups preorder drinks/menus and sometimes hand out small freebies or perks for attendees.
- It’s not uncommon for idols to surprise fans at these events and even pay for drinks as a sweet gesture, which is why mishandling by a cafe owner draws so much heat.
Super disappointing to see a moment meant to celebrate Chenle turn into drama. Hopefully the fans who were there are okay, and the cafe learns to treat guests and fans with the respect they deserve.
Source: Koreaboo
