"All of This Is Free?"... Hotel Guest Sparks Controversy by Filling Shopping Bag with Complimentary Drinks

Leaving with a Shopping Bag Full of Beverages

The actions of a man who filled a shopping bag with complimentary beverages provided at a hotel have sparked controversy.

On March 17, a hotel in Seoul posted on its official social networking service (SNS) account that it had "recently experienced an absurd incident," and released CCTV footage showing a male guest sweeping all the drinks and water from the lounge refrigerator.

The released footage shows a man approaching the hotel's refrigerator carrying a large shopping bag. He then began taking out bottled water and various drinks from the refrigerator and placing them into his bag. After filling the bag as much as possible, he simply left the area.

The hotel stated, "For the convenience and comfort of our guests, we provide water and beverages free of charge in the lounge on the second floor. We were at a loss for words when we witnessed someone sweeping all the drinks and water from the fridge. We felt we could not just let this go, so we decided to release the footage." The hotel further criticized the behavior, saying, "Such actions are not only inconsiderate and cause harm to others, but also constitute theft."

Viewers who saw the footage also voiced criticism. Comments included, "It's because of people like this that goodwill and service are disappearing," "There's someone in my neighborhood laundromat who takes all the coffee mixes," "There are quite a few people like that," "If it's free, they'd even drink lye," "Unthinkable behavior," "A selfish act with no consideration for other guests," and similar remarks.

The hotel is reportedly considering whether to take additional action in connection with the incident.