What’s Happening at the Senior Hotspot Jongno 'Norae Suljip'... From Flooding Complaints to a Constitutional Petition

On the afternoon of the 17th around 5 p.m., a bar near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul was filled with elderly people. Nearly 50 tables were occupied by well-dressed seniors in their 70s to 90s, chatting loudly and enjoying themselves. They gathered in small groups to drink and even fed each other side dishes. The staff seemed somewhat familiar with the customers, sitting nearby to chat casually while taking orders.

There are side dishes priced around 7,000 won, which are rare to see in this era of high prices, but above all, the elderly keep coming because they can enjoy singing along to live band accompaniment while drinking. Customers who want to sing pay 10,000 won to sing two songs with the band’s accompaniment. The seniors who took the stage requested trot songs such as "Love Follows the Seasons" and "Pebble Love." When someone sang well, others sitting at their tables couldn’t contain their excitement and got up to dance. This is the scene at the 'singing bars' in Jongno, which are currently popular among the elderly.

Elderly people are enjoying drinks and singing at a karaoke bar near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Gong Byung-sun]

These singing bars are concentrated in about 10 places along a 250-meter stretch from Songhae-gil next to Tapgol Park to Jongno 3-ga Station on Subway Line 5. If young people have clubs in the Hongdae area where they dance and enjoy drinks, it is no exaggeration to say that the elderly have singing bars. Jumo (67, female), who visited this place, said, "These days, elderly people gather at singing bars near Tapgol Park, so I came from Siheung, Gyeonggi Province," adding, "I plan to have fun listening to songs with my friends and then head home."

However, beneath the enjoyment of the elderly, various reports and complaints continue. This is because these establishments are clearly operating illegally under current laws. The Food Sanitation Act stipulates that businesses where customers sing must obtain a Type 2 entertainment business license (danranjoojeom), but these singing bars are all operating with only general restaurant registrations. Most of the complaints and reports come from competing danranjoojeom owners. One nearby danranjoojeom owner said, "Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, restrictions on entertainment business hours have led to an increase in singing bars," adding, "We continue to report establishments that operate singing bars under the guise of general restaurants."

A promotional signboard displayed by a singing bar near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Gong Byung-sun]

Some singing bars have already been investigated by law enforcement or received administrative sanctions from the local district office. Earlier this month, prosecutors filed a summary indictment against the owner of 'K Singing Bar' with a fine of 1 million won for violating the Food Sanitation Act. Prior to that, in March, Jongno District Office imposed a fine of 7.8 million won in lieu of a two-month business suspension on 'C Singing Bar.' A Jongno District official explained, "Currently, there are many reports and complaints targeting general restaurants operating near Tapgol Park," adding, "Some restaurants face business suspensions as a result of inspections conducted by relevant departments."

Singing bar owners argue that they cannot obtain danranjoojeom licenses due to longstanding regulations from the district office. This area is included in the 'Jongno 2·3-ga Type 1 District Unit Plan Area' announced in 2005, where new licenses for danranjoojeom, massage parlors, and other adult entertainment businesses are not granted. This announcement was made in connection with the Cheonggyecheon restoration project to enhance urban functions, rationalize land use, and improve the cityscape of the surrounding area. Jongno District maintains that there have been no significant environmental changes since 2005, so the announcement remains in effect.

About 10 singing bar owners filed a constitutional complaint against this announcement on the 17th. They want the Constitutional Court to decide whether this regulation is still necessary for urban landscape purposes. Kim Seong-hoon, a lawyer from Law Firm Roots representing the singing bar owners, said, "In the past, danranjoojeom had a decadent aspect, but now it has become a space where people can enjoy singing happily while drinking," adding, "We believe this is not just a matter of enforcement, so we filed a constitutional complaint."

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