A Gangnam Massage Parlor Full of Customers Turns Out to Be a 'No Mask' Room Salon

On the 31st, SBS reported that the massage parlor, which was so popular that customers had to wait, was filled with people who had visited entertainment bars. Photo by SBS 8 News broadcast screen capture.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] After the implementation of social distancing level 2, when entertainment bars were prohibited from operating, it was revealed that some bars were secretly opening and receiving customers at different locations under the name of their own bars.

On the 31st, SBS reported that a massage parlor in Gangnam, where business was so good that customers had to wait, was actually filled with people visiting an entertainment bar.

According to SBS, at the massage parlor, people were not properly wearing masks, and visitor identity verification was also sloppy.

When reporters entered a massage parlor in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on a weekend night, people who had come to an entertainment establishment were sitting closely together, waiting their turn.

This place was illegally operating by renting a massage parlor classified as a health business.

An entertainment bar employee explained, "The establishment is a karaoke room. Karaoke rooms are currently designated as high-risk facilities and cannot operate, so we are temporarily operating here. Massage parlors are allowed."

Visitor identities were often falsely recorded.

The entertainment bar employee explained about the visitor list, "It’s okay to fill it out falsely."

Moreover, there were so many people using this place that they had to wait quite a while.

The entertainment bar employee said, "You have to wait about 20 minutes for the cafe, and then about 30 minutes for the karaoke."

It was also revealed that prostitution was taking place.

The employee said, "Everything is done in rooms. You have fun drinking for an hour, then go XX for 30 to 40 minutes..."

About ten female employees were moving between narrow and enclosed rooms without wearing masks.

It is reported that there are at least six such illegally operated establishments in the Gangnam area of Seoul.

Several reports have actually been filed with the police. However, no cases have been caught yet.

The police explained, "Illegal operations must be caught on site to be cracked down on, but that is difficult. So, we have no choice but to conduct long-term planned crackdowns."

Because they receive customers through acquaintances and when the police arrive, they hide the alcohol and pretend to be operating only a massage business.

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