"Consideration or Etiquette First?" Netizens Divided Over Seokjun Han's Earphone Remarks

As debates continue online over the issue of elderly people watching videos on their mobile phones without earphones in public places, remarks made by announcer Seokjun Han have become the center of controversy. On March 4, Seokjun Han shared his opinion on social media by quoting a post from a user. The post, which read, "When I see elderly people watching YouTube in public places without earphones...," quickly spread online.

According to Seoul Metro, a total of 2,734 complaints related to noise from mobile phone use were received from January to April last year. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Yonhap News

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In response, Seokjun Han wrote, "Please don't be too harsh. It might be difficult for them to listen with earphones. I'm not at that age yet, so I can't say for sure." This comment attracted significant attention, recording approximately 2.8 million views. As the post circulated on online communities and social media, heated debates broke out among users. Some criticized Seokjun Han's remarks.

These users argued, "Those who haven't experienced it themselves may not understand the pain, but playing videos loudly in public is impolite," "Just because you can't hear it well doesn't mean you should inconvenience others," and "There's no need to watch videos during the crowded commute on public transportation." Furthermore, comments like "Why not just watch videos at home?" and "Regardless of age, public etiquette should be observed in public spaces" continued to be raised. Some also responded, "Maybe he doesn't know the reality because he doesn't often use public transportation."

As debates continue online regarding the issue of elderly people watching videos on their mobile phones without earphones in public places, announcer Seokjun Han's remarks have become the center of controversy. SNS

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On the other hand, many expressed the view that the situation of the elderly should be understood. Netizens commented, "If you have hearing problems, it can be even harder to listen with earphones," "They may not know how to use wireless earphones," and "As you age, tinnitus or hearing loss can cause discomfort," expressing agreement with Seokjun Han's remarks.

The issue of playing videos or music without earphones in public places is also being discussed overseas. In the United Kingdom, there are reportedly plans to impose fines of up to 1,000 pounds (approximately 1.98 million won) for playing videos or music on public transportation without using earphones. In fact, complaints about mobile phone noise on public transportation are not uncommon.

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According to Seoul Metro, a total of 2,734 complaints related to noise from mobile phone use were received from January to April last year. The complaints included discomfort such as "an elderly person in the priority seat playing a video at high speaker volume" and "a passenger repeatedly performing certain actions in front while watching a video at a loud volume." Seoul Metro is carrying out promotional activities such as in-station announcements and social media campaigns to reduce these problems.

Na Haekeun, Head of the Operations Division at Seoul Metro, said, "The subway is a space shared by many citizens, and even small personal actions can cause significant discomfort to others. I hope that by making the small gesture of wearing earphones when using mobile phones, we can foster a culture of mutual respect on public transportation."

This controversy is once again highlighting the need for balance between public etiquette and understanding of the elderly generation.

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