Blind Dating Café in Vietnam Faces Backlash for Secret One-Way Mirror Setup

Photo courtesy of South China Morning Post and Tuoi Tre News

A blind dating café in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has found itself at the center of a storm of criticism for secretly allowing men to watch women through a one-way mirror. Mina Coffee Shop may look like a typical café from the outside, but it hides a controversial setup that has upset many.

How It Works

At Mina Coffee Shop, the blind dating experience is designed around a one-way mirror. In this setup, men and women are placed in separate rooms divided by a glass wall. Men sit in a dimly lit room with lower chairs that let them see the women on the other side. Meanwhile, the women only see their reflection in the mirror. After a five-minute conversation, if a man likes what he sees, he can invite the woman to continue the date in a private room if she agrees. Subsequently, the service provides various offerings and requests men to create profiles about themselves.

Costs and Packages

Women get to enjoy the café for free, but men need to pay for different time packages, as per SCMP. The rates are:

VND180,000 (about SGD10.11) for one hour
VND1 million (about SGD56.17) for three days

Criticism and Ethical Issues

The café’s use of one-way mirrors has sparked a lot of controversy. Many people feel that the setup is unethical because it allowed men to watch women without their knowledge, which many view as objectifying and deceitful.

According to Tuoi Tre, the café faced a lot of backlash on social media for being misleading and exploitative. Men could see women, while women only saw their own reflection, and the men’s seats were designed to give them an unobstructed view of women’s bodies.

Police Investigation

In response to the growing outrage, authorities investigated the café in June and found several violations. The café was hit with a total fine of VND18 million (about SGD1,012.95) for various offenses. This included VND3.5 million (about SGD197.19) for not having proper employment contracts, VND12.5 million (about SGD702.53) for operating without a food safety certificate, and VND2.25 million (about SGD126.24) for failing to conduct fire safety training. Despite these issues, Tuoi Tre reported that there was no evidence of prostitution or any harm to women found during the investigation.

Owner’s Defense and Public Reaction

Lina, the owner of the café, defended the concept by saying it was meant to encourage men to take initiative while allowing women to decide if they wanted to continue the date, SCMP reports. She said that failing to inform women about the one-way mirror was a mistake made by her staff. Despite her explanation, the café has been heavily criticized by the public.

Public Outcry

The recent controversy surrounding Mina Coffee Shop has ignited a broader discussion about the ethics of blind dating cafés and the treatment of women in such spaces. The discussion goes on about what these practices could mean for dating in the future.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Tuoi Tre News
Photo credits: South China Morning Post, Tuoi Tre News