"70,000 Won Room Soars to 370,000 Won... 'Worst Trip Ever' Japanese Woman Cries After Sokcho Visit"

A Japanese woman who traveled to Sokcho, Gangwon Province last year claimed that the hotel she booked unilaterally notified her of a reservation cancellation. YouTube screenshot

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The story of a Japanese tourist who visited Sokcho, Gangwon Province, and was brought to tears after her hotel unilaterally canceled her reservation on the day of check-in has belatedly become a hot topic online. Unable to find alternative accommodation, she had to return to Seoul late at night.

On September 4, the story spread across domestic social networking services (SNS) and online communities, sparking public outrage.

A Japanese woman who traveled to Sokcho, Gangwon Province last year claimed that the hotel she booked unilaterally notified her of a reservation cancellation. YouTube screenshot

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A Japanese travel YouTuber with 230,000 subscribers released a video detailing the shocking incident she experienced during her trip to Sokcho in March last year. She took a bus from Seoul and arrived in Sokcho the day before the March 1st Movement holiday, but just before arriving, she received a text message from the hotel informing her that her reservation had been canceled. All she received in return was a 10,000 won discount coupon.

She claimed that she had booked the hotel through an application for around 70,000 won, but just a few hours later, her reservation was unilaterally canceled. Upon checking, she found that rooms at the same hotel were still available, but the price had soared to 370,000 won. She expressed her frustration, stating, "It seems they deliberately rejected guests who booked at a lower price because of the holiday." In the end, unable to find accommodation, she had to make her way back to Seoul late at night. The YouTuber said, "I won't reveal the name of the hotel, but this reservation cancellation was the worst experience I've ever had."

A Japanese woman who traveled to Sokcho, Gangwon Province last year claimed that the hotel she booked unilaterally notified her of the cancellation. YouTube screenshot

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As the story gained traction online, domestic users began sharing similar experiences. One user revealed, "I booked an ocean-view room in Busan, but when a fireworks festival was announced, the hotel canceled my reservation and resold the room at more than triple the price." Another user shared, "I had reserved a place for a concert in Incheon, but as soon as the concert was announced, the accommodation changed the options and told me, 'Cancel if you don't like it.'"

Other comments included, "If a guest cancels on the day, they pay a penalty, but when the owner cancels, there's no compensation," "It's no different in Japan. I know because I've experienced it," "Surely they didn't cancel because she was Japanese, just because it was the March 1st Movement holiday," "I'm sorry on behalf of Koreans," and "If this happens to foreign tourists, it seriously damages Korea's image. Legal sanctions are needed."

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