在韓國，星巴克長期以來不僅是喝咖啡的地方，更被許多人當成臨時辦公室與自習室。無論是上班族還是學生，常常會攜帶筆電、平板，甚至厚厚的資料與文件，在店內坐上一整天，一邊喝咖啡一邊工作或讀書。這種現象在韓國非常普遍，尤其是在首爾等大城市的星巴克門店，往往座無虛席，形成一種「共享辦公空間」的氛圍。

然而，隨著顧客使用方式越來越誇張，星巴克門店也開始出現一些管理上的困擾。近期有報導指出，部分顧客不僅攜帶筆記型電腦，還乾脆把台式電腦、外接螢幕、甚至打印機等大型設備搬進店裡，完全把星巴克當成自己的私人辦公室。這不僅佔據大量空間，也對其他顧客造成不便，甚至可能引發用電與安全上的隱憂。

面對這樣的情況，韓國星巴克近日正式發布公告，明確禁止顧客將台式電腦、打印機等體積龐大的電子設備帶入門店。此舉的目的在於維護店內的舒適環境，避免部分顧客「過度佔用」公共資源，也希望讓星巴克回歸其本質──作為一個提供咖啡、輕食與簡單休憩的場所，而非替代專業辦公室的空間。

消息一出，引發韓國網路熱議。有些人認為星巴克的規定合理，因為畢竟咖啡店是公共場所，若有人擺放過多大型設備，確實會佔用座位、影響他人；但也有人覺得星巴克長久以來正是靠「第三空間」的定位吸引顧客，如今限制過嚴，可能會打擊到其核心文化。無論如何，此舉顯示韓國咖啡文化在快速發展過程中的一種調整，也反映出咖啡店與「共享辦公室」之間界線日益模糊的現實。

In South Korea, Starbucks has long been more than just a place to grab coffee — it has become a popular spot for people to treat as a temporary office or study room. Both office workers and students often bring laptops, tablets, and piles of documents, spending hours in the café working or studying. This phenomenon is especially common in big cities like Seoul, where Starbucks stores are often packed, creating an atmosphere similar to that of a shared workspace.

However, as customer behavior has grown increasingly excessive, store management has begun to face challenges. Recently, reports revealed that some customers were not only bringing laptops but even hauling in desktop computers, external monitors, and printers, essentially turning Starbucks into their own private office. Such practices take up a significant amount of space, inconvenience other customers, and even raise concerns about electricity usage and safety.

In response, Starbucks Korea recently issued an official notice prohibiting customers from bringing large electronic devices such as desktop computers and printers into its stores. The purpose of this rule is to maintain a comfortable environment, prevent certain individuals from overusing public resources, and reestablish Starbucks’ core identity as a place for coffee, light meals, and casual relaxation — not as a substitute for a professional office.

The announcement sparked heated discussion online. Some people support the move, arguing that since Starbucks is a public space, it is unreasonable for individuals to occupy seats with bulky equipment at the expense of others. Others, however, feel that Starbucks has long marketed itself as a “third place” between home and office, and overly strict restrictions could undermine this cultural appeal. Regardless, the new rule highlights an adjustment in South Korea’s fast-evolving café culture and underscores the increasingly blurred boundaries between coffee shops and shared office spaces.