"Anyone free tonight?"... Defying COVID-19, a Bold Flash Mob

Active Online Open Chat Rooms
Meet New People for Gatherings
Recruiting Travel Companions

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] "Anyone up for a flash meetup near Gangnam Station, Seoul at 7 PM today?"

Despite the ongoing spread of COVID-19, more and more people are meeting strangers through online platforms. The number of travel companions who embark on trips with unknown people is also increasing, raising concerns about potential gaps in quarantine measures.

On the 22nd, in KakaoTalk open chat rooms accessible by entering keywords like ‘friendship’ and ‘meeting,’ posts such as "If you want to join a flash meetup for dinner or drinks tonight, please contact me" were easy to find. The poster planned to gather four people, including themselves, to eat and drink, and announced the location to an unspecified number of chat room participants. They hosted these unplanned ‘flash gatherings’ without paying any attention to information other than gender and age.

In chat rooms restricted to residents of Gangnam-gu and Seocho-gu, meetings among strangers were also active. These were regularly held on weekends, and participants were always recruited online. As a result, most attendees only knew each other by their chat nicknames. Notices included the nicknames of attendees, confirmation that expenses were split evenly, and comments like "It was nice meeting new people today."

Meeting strangers through chat rooms like this increases the risk of hidden infections. On the 10th of this month, Osan City Hall sent a message advising, "Those who met in person near Gwoldong, Osan City, using KakaoTalk open chat nicknames ‘Geungjeong’ and ‘Tanggi’ should visit the nearest temporary screening clinic for testing."

Besides online flash meetups, traveling with strangers as companions also raises concerns about COVID-19 infection. Online cafes sharing travel information frequently posted messages recruiting travel companions. Destinations varied widely, including "Anyone to see cherry blossoms in Jinhae," "Anyone going to Jeju Island," and "Anyone to enjoy the sea in Yeosu." Posters usually traveled alone or had planned solo trips but found it boring and thus posted to recruit companions. The travel periods ranged from as short as 3-4 hours to 1 or 2 days, and in some cases, over 4 or 5 days, with anyone able to participate.

Professor Cheon Eun-mi of the Respiratory Medicine Department at Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, "There is a high possibility of removing masks and talking during meals or travel, so meeting strangers increases the risk of COVID-19 infection," adding, "Since about 60% of infections are asymptomatic, even if the other party shows no symptoms, it is best to avoid meeting through online platforms."

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