Halloween Day on the Eve of 'With Corona' Transition... Citizens' Mixed Feelings of Expectation and Anxiety

Quarantine Authorities "Lifting of Business Hour Restrictions from Evening of 1st"
Seoul City Plans to Inspect Seoul Entertainment Districts Until 2nd of Next Month

On the 29th, Halloween decorations were hung on the streets of Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. From the 31st, Halloween Day, to the 2nd of next month, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will conduct special COVID-19 prevention inspections in cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and the Ministry of Justice. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] On the 31st, a day before the transition to the 'step-by-step daily recovery (With Corona)' quarantine system, Halloween Day events are scheduled to take place. As crowds are expected to gather in Seoul's bustling districts, citizens are experiencing mixed feelings of anticipation and anxiety.

Halloween Day, a holiday originating from the United States, occurs annually on October 31st. In the US, children dress up as ghosts or monsters and go door-to-door in their neighborhoods to receive candies and chocolates. Although celebrating Halloween Day in Korea is a relatively recent phenomenon, its popularity and buzz are quite significant.

On the 31st, Halloween Day festivals are expected to be held across various parts of Seoul. Nearby merchants are also preparing to welcome customers by decorating their shops with related ornaments.

However, while citizens welcome this festival, they also express concerns about the sudden outbreak of mass infections.

Office worker A (31) said, "Because of the ongoing social distancing, I haven't felt the atmosphere of the bustling streets for almost two years now," adding, "I hope Seoul becomes lively again like before."

On the other hand, B, a worker in their 20s, said, "Since the vaccination rate is high, we can somewhat prevent COVID-19, but honestly, I am still worried," and added, "I hope this Halloween passes safely so we can move smoothly into the daily recovery phase."

◆Quarantine Authorities and Seoul City Also Urge Compliance with Quarantine Rules

The government and local governments are also viewing Halloween Day as a 'critical point' and are making thorough preparations to prevent the festival from spreading mass infections.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (center) / Photo by Yonhap News

The quarantine authorities have requested that restrictions on operating hours for multi-use facilities be observed during the Halloween period.

On the 29th, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at the 'Daily Recovery Implementation Plan' briefing, "From November 1st, restrictions on operating hours for multi-use facilities will be lifted, but specifically, this will be lifted starting from the evening of the 1st," explaining, "Although the plan allows operations from 0:00 on November 1st, due to the risk of increased COVID-19 mass infections during the Halloween weekend, this measure is being taken following recommendations from local governments in the metropolitan area."

Seoul City also emphasized compliance with quarantine rules during this Halloween period. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon wrote on Facebook that, "'Halloween Day' is increasingly seen as the last hurdle for quarantine," and added, "So far, small business owners and self-employed individuals have endured difficult times and sacrifices. To prevent all the efforts from going to waste due to a momentary lapse, and to quickly restore normal daily life, we ask for the active cooperation of all citizens."

Additionally, Seoul City plans to conduct joint inspections with 12 organizations until November 2nd, thoroughly checking Seoul's bustling areas and entertainment districts such as Hongdae, Itaewon, and Gangnam Station.

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