Celebrity and Wealthy Member-Only... Secret Operation of Gangnam Room Salons Caught Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Despite the third wave of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), a membership-based room salon in the Gangnam area of Seoul, which operated targeting specific individuals such as celebrities and wealthy people, was caught by the police.

According to the police on the 23rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Vice Control Division has booked and is investigating one room salon owner in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, 17 hostesses, and 7 customers on charges of operating a nightlife establishment after registering as a general restaurant (violations of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act and the Food Sanitation Act, etc.).

The police raided the room salon, which was illegally operating on the 3rd and 4th floors of a six-story building on the 15th of this month at 6 p.m. Operation of nightlife establishments is prohibited under social distancing level 2.5.

This room salon was operated as a 'membership system,' allowing entry through prior reservation and identity verification. It is reported that among the members were celebrities and wealthy individuals. The police also plan to investigate whether prostitution took place at the room salon.

Meanwhile, since the administrative order banning gatherings at nightlife establishments was issued in March this year due to the impact of COVID-19, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has cracked down on 202 cases of violations related to unauthorized clubs, room salons, and other nightlife establishments. The number of people caught includes 860 offenders violating the Food Sanitation Act, 238 violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, totaling 1,098 people.

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