Despite Ban on Gathering at Entertainment Venues... 'Lounge Bars' Remain Busy

Lounge Bar Evasive Operations, Gathering Ban Blind Spot
Operating Like Clubs... Customers Flock Even on Weekdays
Cases of 'Secret Operations' Also Increasing Nationwide

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] "Inquiries for the OO Lounge morning session are being accepted."

Just after midnight on the 3rd, a message like this appeared in a KakaoTalk open chat room related to clubs. It was a notice seeking guests (free admission customers) or customers to reserve tables and come to the lounge bar. When inquiring about admission with the MD (sales manager), he sent a seating chart along with a price list showing the cost of drinks. He hinted, "If three people come together, you can reserve a table for around 100,000 KRW per person," adding, "Since no clubs are open, the lounge bar is always packed with customers."

Although the gathering ban on entertainment facilities in the metropolitan area has been extended, ‘lounge bars’ registered as regular restaurants are still continuing to operate through loopholes.

The government decided on the 30th of last month to extend the current social distancing level and the ban on gatherings of five or more people for another three weeks. Accordingly, the gathering ban on entertainment facilities such as clubs in areas under social distancing level 2 was also extended. While local governments were allowed to replace the gathering ban with operating restrictions until 10 p.m. if quarantine rules were strictly followed, the gathering ban remains in place in Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Busan.

The gathering ban applies to five types of entertainment facilities: entertainment pubs, karaoke pubs, emotional pubs, colatecs, and hunting pochas, including clubs. Lounge bars avoided this measure by being registered as regular restaurants. However, these places operate similarly to clubs, with visitors dancing and drinking to music played by DJs. Currently, two lounge bars in Gangnam-gu operate this way. These establishments promote daily that famous DJs perform during their morning and afternoon sessions.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Although the district office, responsible for enforcement, continues crackdowns, closing these businesses remains difficult. A Gangnam-gu office official said, "We have repeatedly conducted crackdowns on these lounge bars and have issued gathering ban orders when violations were found," adding, "It seems they resume operations after the ban is lifted, but in principle, since they are not classified as entertainment facilities, it is difficult to stop the business activities themselves."

Among entertainment industry workers, there are complaints about this situation. They argue that the quarantine policy is unreasonable because whether a business can operate depends on its licensed category, even though the business types are the same. Choi Won-bong, General Affairs Director of the Korea Entertainment Food Service Central Association, emphasized, "It’s the same type of business, but some can operate while others cannot, leading to underground business practices," and added, "It would be reasonable to adjust operating hours according to the characteristics of each business type and encourage strict compliance with quarantine rules."

Meanwhile, cases of ‘secret operations’ nationwide continue even after the gathering ban on entertainment facilities. From the 5th of last month to the 2nd of this month, the police deployed 11,374 officers and jointly inspected 37,794 entertainment facilities nationwide with local governments. As a result, 604 violations of quarantine guidelines and other illegal activities were detected, and 3,259 people were disciplined.

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