Former NRG Member Noh Yoo-min Thrives as Café Owner

Noh Yoo-min, a former member of the boy band NRG, has recently shared his success story as a café owner. In a video uploaded on April 5 by the channel '머니멘터리' titled "A Famous Idol Singer Working at a Café: The Reason Behind It," he opened up about his daily life running a café. Having operated his café for about 15 years, he described it as a part of his daily routine. When asked about his current activities, he mentioned, "I’m balancing broadcasting, managing the café, and dieting. After getting married, my main source of income shifted from broadcasting to the café, which has now become my primary business, while broadcasting serves as a secondary income."

When questioned if he only has one café, Noh revealed, "I originally managed three direct-operated stores, but I consolidated them and purchased a building, becoming a property owner." The café he showcased is spacious and features a unique warehouse-style design. He explained, "This is where we roast coffee. I have set up a mini bar displaying the hottest products that I review, allowing customers to come in, explore, and try them out. The value of the products displayed here exceeds 10 million won, likely around 20 million won, as one machine alone costs 3.8 million won."

He also shared that one of the coffee roasters on display is the first one he ever used, now symbolically showcased as he no longer operates it. He mentioned, "This is the most expensive roaster, costing about 70 million won. I used to have three or four employees, but when I have external schedules, customers often come looking for me. So, my wife and I decided that when I’m out for work, we won’t open this café at all."

When surprised by this decision, he joked, "It’s possible because I’m a property owner." He further elaborated on the café's equipment, stating, "The value of the equipment here exceeds 100 million won. This automatic brewing machine, developed domestically, brews coffee based on saved recipes and costs 18.4 million won. Most decent products here are over 1 million won."

Noh Yoo-min also reflected on the challenges he faced while running the café, recalling, "After we opened, I was under a lot of stress. I couldn’t even find time to eat because the café can’t have food smells. I had to hide and eat in the storage area. It felt like a prison without bars; I wanted to leave but couldn’t during business hours. As the owner, I had to cover for any schedule gaps, so I was practically living here. There was no other way."

He recounted various incidents that occurred while managing the café, including leaks, power outages, and difficult customers. One particularly alarming incident involved a customer claiming to find a foreign object in their drink, which turned out to be a stone from a flowerpot in the restroom. Noh shared, "I went to apologize and offer to take them to the hospital, but they panicked and ran away, fearing the police would come. I wanted to apologize face-to-face, but they left before I could arrive."

This experience left him shocked, especially when he later saw the same person featured in a news report about similar incidents.