Idol devotion: Inside Seoul’s birthday cafes | CNN

Seoul’s Hongdae neighborhood is famous for its forest of cafés. On any given day, the aroma of roasted coffee beans fills the air, with many of the shopfronts fronted by tall-as-trees banners bearing the image of a glamorous-looking person. Take three steps, and you’ll see a glass door with another poster of that same smiling face; three more paces, and there they are again, draped with ribbons and floral decorations. People excitedly wander between these storefronts with their cell phones, taking selfies and snapshots of the colorful scenes. South Korea’s most beautiful temple keeps a surprising secret These are not advertisements or paid promotions. These are “birthday cafés”— specialized venues dedicated to celebrating the birthdays of K-pop idols. For just a few days around an idol’s birthday, these regular coffee shops transform into curated galleries devoted to the superstar. Inside each café, the walls are packed with photographs of the smiling celebrity, while shiny streamers and balloons sway along with a playlist featuring songs by the idol. Visitors enjoy their coffee in decorated cups. They also get to take home a variety of collectibles — including p