First Weekend of Administrative Order for 'Itaewon-Origin COVID Spread' Sees Bustling Nightlife District in Gwangju

While Entertainment Venues Halt Operations, Popular Bars Still See Waiting Lines

Calls for 'Proper Civic Awareness' Including Mask Wearing and Social Distancing

As the COVID-19 outbreak originating from Itaewon spreads, on the first weekend of Gwangju Metropolitan City's administrative order to ban gatherings at entertainment establishments, more than 20 citizens were lined up in front of a bar in Bullo-dong, Dong-gu, waiting to enter on the afternoon of the 16th.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] As 'COVID-19', which had entered a stable phase, resurged at Itaewon clubs, most cities and provinces nationwide issued administrative orders banning gatherings at entertainment establishments for the first weekend. However, concerns about 'COVID-19' infections in various entertainment districts of Gwangju felt like a story from another world.

At around 8:30 p.m. on the 16th, at Bullo-dong in Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, a representative entertainment district also known as the Old City Hall intersection.

Though it was close to dusk for young people, the streets were crowded, perhaps because it was a Saturday night.

Maybe because Gwangju is somewhat distant from Seoul Itaewon, the epicenter of the COVID-19 resurgence, more than half of the citizens on the streets were freely without masks.

A famous bar known as a hunting pocha was fully packed with no empty tables, and at the entrance, 18 stylishly dressed young men and women were lined up waiting to enter.

At a similar time, the situation was similar in another entertainment district in Gwangju, the Sangmu district in Seo-gu.

Several bars that usually require at least a 30-minute wait to enter had more than 10 people lined up even on this day.

Not only were people talking face-to-face without wearing masks, but the government's guideline of '2m social distancing' seemed like a story for others.

Most karaoke rooms, a representative entertainment establishment, had their signs turned off and were not operating, but places called hunting pochas are registered as general restaurants, so they do not fall under the administrative order that effectively bans operations.

Park (31), who was waiting in line at the entrance of a bar, said, "I wore a mask because of COVID-19, but I am not very worried," adding, "Those who are going to get infected will get infected anyway, and those who won't, won't."

The 'emergency administrative order banning gatherings' issued by most of the country, including Gwangju, is limited to entertainment establishments such as clubs, room salons, karaoke rooms, and certain general restaurants like emotional pubs and colatecs, so citizens flock to bars registered as general restaurants.

Since the 12th, Gwangju City has issued an administrative order under Article 49 of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act, effective until 6 a.m. on the 26th, and is conducting daily inspections in cooperation with the police, autonomous districts, and private organizations.

Establishments falling under the administrative order, which is practically a business suspension order, face prosecution and fines up to 3 million won if violated.

However, this administrative order does not affect bars registered as general restaurants, leading to complaints from entertainment establishments that have ceased operations.

An entertainment establishment official lamented, "Hunting pochas, which are practically no different from entertainment establishments, are openly operating," adding, "While citizen awareness should come first, only those registered as entertainment establishments who cannot operate for two weeks suffer huge losses."

A Gwangju police official said, "We cannot inspect bars registered as general restaurants. We can only ask them to operate according to quarantine guidelines," and added, "It is necessary for each citizen using general bars to have awareness and pay attention to personal quarantine."

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