EXID’s Hyerin Reveals Taco Shop Struggles in 2026

EXID member Hyerin runs a taco restaurant pulling in 140 million won in monthly sales, yet she says she needs help. She revealed this on the YouTube channel “Chaoroom” on September 19. Her honest confession shows how big revenue numbers don’t always mean an easy life.

Have you ever assumed that a famous face automatically means a successful, stress-free business? Hyerin’s story says otherwise. EXID built its name as one of Korea’s beloved girl groups, known for hits and stage charisma, but running a restaurant is a completely different game.

EXID’s Hyerin Opens Up About Her Taco Business

Hyerin sat down for an interview on “Chaoroom” and laid out the reality behind her taco shop. She didn’t hide the numbers. Monthly sales reaching 140 million won sound impressive on paper, but she made clear that impressive revenue and manageable stress are two very different things.

She described the operational headaches piling up faster than she expected. Staffing, supply chains, quality control — these things don’t run themselves, even with a celebrity name attached. Her plea for support wasn’t about money exactly; it was about the sheer weight of daily decisions a small business owner carries.

This kind of candor is rare in Korean entertainment culture. Idols often present a polished, controlled image, so admitting struggle in public takes a certain courage. Hyerin’s willingness to speak plainly about EXID’s transition into business life adds a layer of relatability that fans don’t always get to see.

From K-pop Stage to Restaurant Kitchen

EXID debuted in 2012 and became known for hits like “Up & Down,” gaining a loyal fanbase across Asia. Like many K-pop veterans, group members have branched into different ventures as their idol schedules slowed. Hyerin’s move into food service fits a broader pattern among Korean celebrities.

Why do so many idols open restaurants or cafes? Partly it’s financial security beyond music royalties, which can be unpredictable. Partly it’s personal passion — cooking and hospitality genuinely appeal to some performers looking for a second chapter.

But passion alone doesn’t run a kitchen. Korea’s food service industry is famously competitive, with thin margins and high turnover among small restaurants (imagine opening a shop on a street with five other places selling nearly the same menu). Celebrity status might draw first-time customers through the door, but keeping them coming back requires the same grind any owner faces.

The Hidden Cost of High Revenue for EXID’s Hyerin

Here’s the paradox at the center of Hyerin’s story: high revenue doesn’t equal high profit. A restaurant generating 140 million won a month still has rent, ingredient costs, staff wages, and taxes eating into that number. What looks like success from the outside can feel precarious from the inside.

This gap between gross sales and actual take-home earnings trips up plenty of small business owners in Korea, celebrity or not. According to Maeil Business Newspaper, Hyerin’s comments reflect a broader trend of entertainers speaking more openly about the financial pressures behind their side businesses.

Is it fair to expect celebrities to handle business stress better than anyone else? Probably not. Fame gives visibility, not automatic management skills or immunity from rising rent and ingredient costs. Hyerin’s openness reminds us that success on stage doesn’t guarantee ease behind a cash register.

There’s something quietly honest in watching a public figure admit she’s overwhelmed rather than performing effortless success. Korean culture often prizes resilience and quiet endurance, the idea that you push through hardship without complaint. That same value can build real strength in people, but it can also make it harder to ask for help when things get genuinely difficult.

Hyerin’s willingness to say “I need help” pushes against that pressure, and it opens space for others — idols and ordinary business owners alike — to admit their own struggles without shame. That kind of honesty doesn’t erase the hard economics of running a small restaurant, but it does offer something valuable: permission to be human while building something new.

What This Means for Korea’s Celebrity Business Boom

EXID’s Hyerin isn’t the first idol to discover that business ownership is harder than it looks, and she won’t be the last. Countless Korean celebrities have opened cafes, clothing lines, and restaurants, only to quietly close them within a few years. Her transparency offers a useful case study for anyone chasing the idea that fame guarantees business success.

What can aspiring entrepreneurs take from this? Mainly that visibility gets you customers on day one, but sustainability requires the unglamorous work of systems, staffing, and cost control. EXID’s Hyerin built a following through years of performing, and now she’s learning that a different kind of endurance is needed to keep a restaurant alive.

Where does this leave her taco shop going forward? That remains to be seen, but her honesty has already shifted the conversation around celebrity-owned businesses in Korea. Fans and fellow entrepreneurs alike are watching to see whether EXID’s Hyerin can turn early struggles into long-term stability.

Korea’s small business landscape will keep testing celebrities and everyday owners alike in the months ahead. What do you think about celebrities like EXID’s Hyerin speaking openly about the real struggles behind their businesses?

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