Chechen Leader’s Daughter Runs K-pop Café Amidst Backlash Over LGBTQ Rights and Bans

Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya known for his pro-Putin stance and infamous human rights violations, has attracted attention after news emerged that his 20-year-old daughter, Tabarik Kadyrova, is running a K-pop-themed cafe. The cafe, named Chicko, is located in a shopping mall in Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, and serves Korean dishes such as gimbap, tteokbokki, kimchi, and other Korean street foods.

The cafe’s interior is decorated with Korean text, and K-pop merchandise is displayed on shelves. Local K-pop fans visit the cafe to enjoy Korean food and participate in events where they can win idol merchandise.

According to The Times, Kadyrova has gained attention for opening a K-pop cafe that caters to BTS fans, who have publicly supported LGBTQ rights. BTS enjoys popularity in Chechnya, but Kadyrov’s supporters have reportedly threatened fans, and live broadcasts of BTS concerts have been canceled in the region.

Chechnya, citing a need to preserve tradition, has imposed bans on music deemed too slow or too fast, restricting the tempo of music, vocal performances, and dance to a range of 80–116 beats per minute. In such a conservative environment, Kadyrova has opened a K-pop cafe. Despite Instagram being banned in Russia, the cafe even operates an official account on the platform.

A Chechen expert commented during a broadcast, “Laws and traditions do not apply to Kadyrov’s children or the children of other officials. Their status as potential future leaders makes them untouchable.”