"That? It's Already Stashed" Nightlife Scene Crosses the Line [ChwiYak Nation] ③

■ Part 1. Drugs Have Swept Through Our Society

Young Adults Brazenly Use Synthetic Marijuana in Clubs
Drug Purchase Arranged in Three Minutes via Telegram Inquiry

"I'm so high right now from smoking ○○ (liquid marijuana). You should try it too."

At the end of last month, at an after-club in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. When the reporter asked a man in his twenties who was exhaling vapor from an e-cigarette if he had any ○○, this was his response. It was 5 a.m., just before dawn. Following the thumping music, I went down to the basement. The wild night raged on underground. After-clubs are known as places where drug use is frequent. These are venues where all-night parties continue from the early mornings, after regular clubs close.

At the end of April, young men and women are dancing to music at a club located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jiyeye Lee

Thump-thump, thump-thump. The music felt like entering the engine room of a massive machine. Dozens of intoxicated young men and women were dancing. Next to the man who offered liquid marijuana, another man in his twenties said, "Do you want me to get you some?" as he took out his smartphone and sent a message somewhere. When asked if he had anything else, he replied, "I do everything," and blew smoke into the reporter's face.

Even before visiting major nightlife districts to check the situation, I contacted club MDs (promoters), Telegram sellers, and others to inquire about the possibility of purchasing drugs. When I asked a Telegram dealer if it was possible to pick up (buy) drugs near the Cheongdam-dong after-club around 2 a.m., the response was, "There's something stashed in Sinsa-dong." It took less than three minutes to be guided through the process, including receiving a cryptocurrency wallet address for payment, and to fall into the trap.

In late April, a group of men in their 20s met at a club in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, boasting about making a large amount of money through operating illegal gambling sites. Photo by Jiyé Lee

Around 3 a.m. at Club B in Seocho-gu, there were several suspected cases of drug use. Warning signs stating "Drugs are illegal" and "Anyone caught will be removed and reported" were posted throughout Club B. However, inside the bathroom stalls, there were rustling noises and slurred women's voices saying, "XX is out of her mind" and "Cut it with ■■." Other than VIP rooms, bathrooms are the most common places for drug use. Use by more than two people at once is prohibited.

Around the same time, in various spots throughout Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, there were people who could barely stand. The temperature had dropped below 10 degrees Celsius, but many people were shirtless and sprawled on the street. When asked, a club MD with three years of experience said, "Most people do drugs in the bathroom, but it's hard for us to call the police unless we're sure," adding, "People wear sunglasses to hide their eyes, so be careful around those people."

In front of Club C in Itaewon, a man in his forties staggered over and grabbed the reporter's hand. When asked if he had taken drugs, he said, "If you want to, go to the side where all the bars without signs are." Behind him, a young woman was repeatedly vomiting, unable to stand, but no one helped or stopped her.

There was a time when certain drugs were mainly distributed in specific areas of Seoul—for example, ketamine in Gangnam, marijuana in Itaewon, and ecstasy in Hongdae—but now, it is presumed that drugs are used indiscriminately across districts. This is largely because contactless distribution via Telegram has made it easy to obtain a variety of drugs anywhere. On this day, the reporter only inquired to confirm how easy it was to buy drugs and did not actually make a purchase.

Special Reporting Team | Jang Heejun, Oh Jieun, Park Hosu, Lee Jiye, Park Jaehyun

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