A Hole in Nighttime Han River's Quarantine... Mask Below Chin and Drinking Parties Throughout the Weekend

Despite Strengthened Quarantine Measures Against Massive Spread
No Empty Spaces in Parking Lots

Around 10:45 PM on the 20th, a parking lot near Ttukseom Resort, Seoul.
Photo by Jeongyoon Lee leejuyoo@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] "I came to Hangang Park to escape the heat, eat a hamburger, and enjoy the night view. Staying at home all the time feels stifling."

At around 9:30 PM on the 20th at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul, the park was packed with people gathering to beat the heat and enjoy the 'Bulgeum (Burning Friday)'. People spread mats or camping chairs on the grass or took seats on benches and stairs, and food was inevitably present wherever they sat. Along with packed jokbal (pig’s trotters), chicken, and hamburgers, snacks and ramen purchased from nearby convenience stores were also seen. Quarantine rules were not properly followed. Visitors ate food and chatted with their companions comfortably without masks.

Besides eating, people visited Banpo Hangang Park for various reasons. Near Sebitseom, dozens gathered to skateboard, and some took a break with friends they were cycling with while sipping drinks. Couples enjoying car camping were also spotted. However, these visitors were either wearing masks below their chins or not wearing masks at all. Even after 10 PM, vehicles and motorcycles making loud noises passed through Jamsu Bridge and entered the area. Although a notice stating "Temporarily closed due to COVID-19 Level 4 social distancing measures" was posted, people were seen watching movies or reading books with laptops on benches.

At a similar time, Ttukseom Resort in Seoul was also crowded. The parking lot status board already showed "Full" in red, but cars kept coming in. Kang (35), an office worker, said, "Staying at home feels suffocating, so I came to the Hangang with friends who live nearby. Parking was inconvenient, but seeing the night view made it worthwhile." Six men wearing 'teokseukeu' (masks hanging below the chin) sat on a mat drinking soju. It appeared they bought soju in PET bottles instead of green glass bottles to avoid police crackdowns. Earlier, Seoul City banned outdoor drinking in Hangang Parks from midnight on the 6th of last month to prevent community infection spread, but the administrative order was not properly followed. Also, in areas under Level 4 social distancing, private gatherings of five or more people are prohibited. The gathering at Hangang continued until around 10:50 PM when a sudden shower fell.

At around 10:50 PM on the 20th, six men were having a drinking party at Ttukseom Resort in Seoul.
Photo by Jeongyoon Lee leejuyoo@

The flow of visitors to Hangang Park continued throughout the weekend. On Saturday the 21st, from afternoon until after 10 PM, the grass and shaded areas were full of people. On Sunday the 22nd, finding a parking spot near Banpo Hangang Park was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. Also, all 30 benches in front of the convenience store at Yeouido Hangang Park were fully occupied, making it difficult to even use them. Professor Chun Eun-mi of the Respiratory Medicine Department at Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, "Even outdoors, if mask-wearing and other precautions are not properly followed, infection through droplets can occur," adding, "As the spread of COVID-19 continues, people’s adherence to quarantine rules is becoming lax, but only by maintaining vigilance can we overcome this crisis."

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