Why are les cafes in China and South Korea barring children?

Two incidents have revived debate over cafes refusing children. A cafe in China posted a sign reading "Children aged 3-13 not admitted," with the owner adding that they dislike children. In South Korea, No Kids Zones have spread, with some venues posting signs such as "dog yes, kids no."

Supporters say les cafes should stay quiet and that owners can manage risk; critics call the signs discriminatory. The dispute touches on how public spaces balance different users, including complaints about unruly children and their parents. CNN recently reported the growing prevalence of No Kids Zones in South Korea.

Recently, two incidents of cafes refusing to serve children have caused a stir online. On one side, a cafe in China put up a sign at its entrance reading "Children aged 3–13 not admitted," with the owner openly stating they "dislike children"; on the other, South Korea's increasingly common "No Kids Zone" has once again become a topic of discussion, with some establishments even hanging signs saying "dog yes, kids no." Supporters argue that cafes should be quiet places and that businesses have the right to avoid risks; opponents criticize the signs as discriminatory. What social nerves does this debate about "child-hating" actually touch? And what kind of public space dilemma is reflected in young people's complaints about "bratty kids' parents"?

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Recently, two "child-hating" incidents related to cafes have sparked considerable discussion online.

On June 29, a netizen posted a tip-off that a certain cafe had "child-hating" tendencies. From the photos shared by the netizen, the shop had placed a signboard at its entrance reading "Children aged 3–13 not admitted," and the owner had even added on a blackboard the reason for refusing children: "The owner dislikes children." This content spread quickly and immediately drew dissatisfaction from many netizens.

Some netizens said bluntly that the shop's wording was too harsh and made people feel very uncomfortable. "Even though I don't like kids myself, I really don't understand why anyone would harbor such malice toward children." However, others thought that making the rules clear in advance was a good thing, as it could avoid unnecessary conflicts.

Other netizens felt that even if the shop does not serve children, the owner need not emphasize it so bluntly and could have used a gentler expression. "Even saying caffeine is bad for children, or just not adding those four extra words at the end," would not have caused such a big controversy.

Besides this cafe in China, South Korea's "No Kids Zone" has also sparked controversy online, and it likewise became a hot topic of public discussion because of cafes restricting children's entry.

Not long ago, CNN reported that in recent years "No Kids Zones" have become increasingly common in South Korea. Many cafes in South Korea formally declare: children are not welcome here! And they post "No Kids Zone" signs at their entrances.

The reasons for banning children are still the same: these shop owners feel that children are too noisy and often run around and fidget, which affects other customers who are studying or want to rest quietly, and they also worry that bratty kids will touch with their hands or accidentally break the decorations displayed in the shop. Posting the notice is meant to create an undisturbed area for their own customers. In addition to slogans like "No Kids Zone," some cafes have even added the phrase "dog yes, kids no."

Many netizens expressed support for this practice of "child-free shops," saying cafes should inherently be quiet spaces, and "suggested promoting it nationwide." Supporters believe too many parents are neglectful, and businesses have the right not to bear the risk of bratty kids coming in.

Some netizens also pointed out that such slogans are too sarcastic and carry a tendency to discriminate against children. If businesses can refuse people based on age, can they also do so based on skin color, gender, race...? Regarding that hostile phrase toward children, some netizens found it even more unacceptable: "no kids is still understandable, but dog yes kids no is going too far."

Faced with this growing "child-hating phenomenon," some young people admit that they do not hate children as a group, but rather hate the parents of bratty kids, especially "giant-baby parents who can't control their children and yet think it's only natural for others to tolerate them too."

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