"BTS Fans Warmly Welcome"…Putin's Close Associate's Daughter Opens K-Pop Cafe in Chechen Capital

'Putin Associate' Kadyrov's Daughter Runs K-Pop Cafe
Selling Albums and Food... Promoting Korean Culture
"BTS Fans Sometimes Face Harassment"

Tavarik Kadirova (20), daughter of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. 'Chicko' Instagram

The daughter of Ramzan Kadyrov, the notorious leader of Chechnya known for human rights abuses, is reportedly running a cafe for fans of the group BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan).

The British daily The Times introduced 'Chicko,' located in Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation, on the 6th (local time). 'Chicko' is a K-pop cafe and restaurant in a shopping mall in downtown Grozny, serving as a venue to introduce Korean popular culture. The place sells Korean food such as tteokbokki and gimbap, along with K-pop albums and related merchandise. Additionally, Korean dramas are played inside the store.

The owner of 'Chicko' is known to be Tabarikh Kadyrova (20), the daughter of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. She started her business around the age of 18 and operates several restaurants and fitness clubs across Russia. Although Instagram use is banned in Russia, Chicko maintains an account.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya's daughter, Tabarik Kadyrova (20). 'Chicko' Instagram

Kadyrov is one of President Putin's close allies and has supported Russia by dispatching tens of thousands of troops to the Ukraine war. Since 2007, he has ruled the Chechen Republic, suppressing opposition forces in exchange for loyalty to President Putin and the Kremlin, causing controversies over human rights violations. Moreover, Kadyrov and his security forces have been criticized for torture, extrajudicial killings, and especially brutal purges of gay men in Muslim-majority countries.

In this context, The Times highlighted the fact that Kadyrov, notorious for human rights abuses, opened a K-pop cafe for fans of BTS, who openly support LGBTQ rights. They reported, "BTS is very popular in Chechnya, where the majority are Muslim, but their fans are often harassed." Chechen expert Harold Chambers told the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) website, "Laws and traditions do not apply to Kadyrov’s children or the children of other officials," adding, "The fact that they are future leaders makes them even more untouchable."

Meanwhile, Kadyrov has appointed his children, except for Tabarikh, to high-ranking positions. His daughter Aishat (25) served as Minister of Culture and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Chechnya last year, while his eldest son Akhmat (18) became Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Policy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.