[Report] "Feeling Stifled Staying Home" Crowded Bars 'Dadakdadak'... Concerns Over Cluster Infections

Despite COVID-19 Spread, Crowds Gather at Cafes and Bars
People Flock to Bar Tables and Engage in Long Conversations
Experts Say "Minimize Contact with Others to Prevent Spread"

People visiting Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 11th. Photo by Yeonju Kim, intern reporter yeonju1853@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Yeonju Kim] "I don't really care about COVID-19," "It doesn't seem dangerous."

On the afternoon of the 11th, a street in Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul was bustling with young people in their 20s and 30s. They sat closely together at bar tables chatting, and some even went outside to spit on the street, showing no concern about the risk of infection from droplets (saliva droplets) related to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

On that day, office worker A (27, female), whom Asia Economy reporters met at a barbecue restaurant, said, "I was frustrated staying at home, so I came out," adding, "I'm worried because the tables are close together, but I don't think it will be a big problem."

At the same time, in Sejong Village Food Culture Street in Jongno-gu, people waiting for their turn by writing down waiting numbers to enter restaurants were easily seen. In front of a pub that had gained popularity on social networking services (SNS), eight groups were waiting with their waiting tickets.

Office worker B (28, male), who was waiting in front of the pub, said, "I thought there wouldn't be many people, but it's the same as usual," and added, "It seems like everyone who wants to go out is going out."

Photo by SNS capture

Not only the bustling alleys with bars but also amusement parks are crowded with people. On the 8th, a review was posted on an online community about visits to two large amusement parks.

The post author said, "I thought the number of people going outside would have decreased a lot due to the COVID-19 situation, but there were many people at the amusement parks," and added, "It was not much different from when I visited in December last year before the COVID-19 outbreak started."

The author lamented, "I came because I heard on SNS that you could get your money's worth by going to an amusement park during this time, but I was deceived," adding, "There were so many people that I had to wait 90-120 minutes to ride popular attractions."

A netizen who posted a photo certifying their visit to the amusement park explained, "Who said there are no people at amusement parks because of COVID-19?" and added, "There are so many people that the amusement park is overflowing."

On the 24th of last month, citizens wearing masks are commuting to work at the crosswalk of Gwanghwamun Station intersection in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The problem is that such close contact increases the risk of COVID-19 spread. According to health authorities, if a person nearby is an asymptomatic or symptomatic infected individual, close contact within 2 meters for more than 15 minutes increases the probability of infection.

For this reason, recently, governors of 17 cities and provinces nationwide recommended participating in a nationwide 'social distancing, temporary pause' to prevent COVID-19 infection. The purpose is to avoid contact with others for a while to stop the spread of the infectious disease.

The Korea Association of Governors stated in an appeal on the 9th, "The current COVID-19 situation is at a critical turning point, and a two-week 'temporary pause' is necessary to protect the health and safety of the people and to quickly restore daily life."

The association added, "Despite the devoted efforts of medical staff and health authorities for COVID-19 treatment and prevention, the number of confirmed cases is rapidly increasing," and "As community spread becomes a reality, public anxiety and fear are widespread."

Experts warned that close contact can further increase the spread of COVID-19. Professor Woojoo Kim, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "Keeping a distance of 1 to 2 meters and avoiding direct contact can reduce the risk of infection, but amusement parks are places where close contact occurs," adding, "If a confirmed patient is in the same space, the risk of mass infection increases."

He continued, "There have been many cases of secondary infection while dining with COVID-19 patients. Gathering in large numbers at pubs or restaurants and spending time together is equally risky," emphasizing, "'Social distancing' only needs to be maintained for 1 to 2 weeks. It may be frustrating, but minimizing contact with others during this period is important to prevent the spread."

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