"Wedding Photos Not Allowed but Sticker Photos Are? Instant Photo Booths as COVID-19 Prevention Blind Spots"

Social Distancing Raised to Level 2.5 from the 30th... Restrictions on Cafe and Restaurant Use
1m Distance Mandatory Even During Wedding Photo Shoots
Unmanned Instant Photo Booths Gaining Popularity Amid Newtro Trend Remain Blind Spots in COVID-19 Prevention Management

Unmanned instant photo booth installed inside the subway station. The photo is unrelated to the article content. Photo by Yeonju Kim, Intern yeonju1853@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Yeonju Kim] As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) resurges and health authorities have raised social distancing to level 2.5, concerns are being raised that quarantine management is not properly enforced for sticker photo booths (instant photo studios) installed in urban areas.

Instant photo studios are mainly installed in busy districts and subway stations, and have regained popularity among people in their teens to thirties amid the newtro (a portmanteau of "new" and "retro") trend.

The problem lies in the interior space of the photo booths. They are narrower than coin karaoke rooms that accommodate 1-2 people, and since the machines operate via fingerprint recognition, indirect contact is inevitable, raising concerns about COVID-19 infection. In particular, visitor logs for facilities operated unmanned are reportedly not properly maintained.

On social networks (SNS) including Instagram, posts with hashtags such as '#**FourCut', '#**PhotoStudio', and '#**Photo' featuring instant photo names are continuously being uploaded. As of 9 a.m. on the 31st, there were a total of 600,000 posts.

Inside an instant photo booth installed in a subway station in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yeonju Kim, intern yeonju1853@asiae.co.kr

Even after the implementation of social distancing level 2.5 from midnight on the 30th, dozens of posts showed photos taken in close contact with others without wearing masks.

Looking at the publicly shared verification photos, most people took pictures without wearing masks or wore masks hanging on their chins to avoid covering their faces. Due to the narrow space, several people were in close contact.

A woman in her twenties, Ms. A, who recently posted related instant photos on her Instagram account, said, "I only briefly lowered my mask when taking the photo and then put it back on," adding, "We weren't talking while taking the photos, so isn't this something we can keep as a memory?"

She also expressed discomfort, saying, "Judging solely by the photos whether someone is wearing a mask or not is excessive interference."

When asked about concerns regarding facilities used by unspecified many people, Ms. A replied, "Although it feels uncomfortable to operate the machine with fingerprints, nowadays many places provide hand sanitizers, so I don't think it poses a big problem."

On the other hand, there are criticisms that posting photos without masks in a confined space during the COVID-19 resurgence is reckless, not to mention going out.

A man in his twenties, office worker Mr. B, said, "Even if quarantine is done every time, if it's unmanned, no one manages the place every time a group comes and leaves," expressing concern, "If an infected person appears, how can infection be prevented without a visitor log?"

Seating sign posted inside the wedding hall to prevent COVID-19. Photo by Yonhap News

COVID-19 can spread more in confined spaces like instant photo booths. On the 22nd, at a regular online briefing, Kwon Jun-wook, deputy head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, emphasized, "Please wear masks when talking or exhaling in enclosed indoor spaces," adding, "Even exhaling can release the virus."

Deputy Head Kwon said, "If social distancing is not properly implemented even in some places, we could enter an irreversible crisis," urging, "With united hearts, consideration, and practice, let's overcome the greatest crisis we face right now together."

Meanwhile, health authorities announced that, amid the resurgence of COVID-19 centered in the metropolitan area, they will strengthen social distancing measures only in the metropolitan area and monitor the spread trend.

Instead of raising to level 3 due to economic concerns, enhanced quarantine measures will be introduced only for facilities and places with high infection risk. This measure will be applied for eight days from today until midnight on the 6th of next month.

Focusing on restricting the operation of multi-use facilities, franchise-style coffee shops in the metropolitan area will only allow takeout and delivery orders, and restaurants and bakeries will be restricted from nighttime operations after 9 p.m.

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the quarantine task force at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a briefing on the 29th, "We are now standing on the last line of defense to suppress the spread of COVID-19 in the metropolitan area," urging public cooperation, "If the spread in the metropolitan area does not subside, the only option left is the drastic measure of raising to level 3."

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