"From Samgyeopsal to Airplanes" Business Owners Suffer Over Various No-Shows...

Punishable for Obstruction of Business, but Intent Must Be Proven
The Only Alternative Is to File a Civil Lawsuit for Damages

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A story about a 'No Show'?ordering 50 servings of Samgyeopsal (pork belly) but not showing up at the restaurant?has heated up online communities. The author of the post revealed that on the 18th, around 9:50 a.m., a man called their parents' restaurant and said, "We are a hiking club, and 50 people are coming down from the mountain now, so please prepare fresh Samgyeopsal quickly." After finishing all preparations, the author tried calling the man back but couldn't reach him. When they said they would report it as business obstruction, the man then said, "I'm almost there, so prepare 50 servings," and when asked to send a reservation deposit of 200,000 won, he asked for the account number and then disappeared again.

The No Show problem is emerging as a social issue. In July, a man in his 60s ordered 40 rolls of gimbap at a gimbap restaurant in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, then disappeared and was caught by the police. However, if intentionality cannot be proven, there is no proper way to punish the offender.

No Show crimes occur in various fields. In fact, similar cases have repeatedly occurred not only in restaurants but also in the airline industry. A representative example is the abuse of the policy that allows full refunds if requested before takeoff for first-class seats. Idol superfans identify the flight their idol is on, book first-class seats on that flight, follow the idol to the departure gate, and then cancel just minutes before takeoff, saying they changed their mind and will not board. In response, some airlines have decided to impose penalties.

Another type of No Show is when people book tickets for movies they support but do not attend. However, this differs in that payment is made. Still, purchasing a seat and not showing up causes the same harm to others.

The problem lies in the subsequent behavior of these 'No Show tribes.' Most turn off their phones or do not answer calls, and even if they do, they boldly say, "I came to another restaurant due to circumstances." They make reservations at multiple restaurants and choose one based on their mood on the day, which from the restaurant's perspective is a typical black consumer (malicious consumer).

In response, the Fair Trade Commission improved regulations so that if a reservation is not canceled at least one hour before, the restaurant can keep the full reservation deposit. However, from the owner's perspective, demanding a reservation deposit outright is ambiguous. Park (35), who runs a restaurant in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, said, "Many customers hesitate when the topic of a deposit comes up during reservation calls," adding, "As an owner, I cannot insist on deposits at the risk of reducing reservation rates."

A police station overseeing an area densely packed with restaurants in Seoul receives more than 10 No Show reports per month. However, unless the offender is a repeat offender, the police have no way to act. In theory, it can be punished as obstruction of business by deception, but since there is no provision for punishing negligence in business obstruction, it is difficult to punish without proving intent.

A police official said, "Even if No Show offenders are identified, cases leading to actual punishment are rare," and added, "Filing a civil lawsuit for damages is a reasonable option."

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