[Issue Video] What Do You Think About the Punishment of the Man and Woman Riding a Bike in Bikinis Racing Through Gangnam?

Legal standards for excessive exposure unclear
Punishment depends on court rulings
Netizens: "Consider time and place" vs. "Is this the age of enlightenment?"

[Asia Economy PD Yoon Jin-geun] Amid police investigations into a man and a woman who rode motorcycles near Gangnam, Seoul, with the man topless and the woman in a bikini, netizens are showing keen interest in the possibility of actual legal punishment.

On the 18th, the Gangnam Police Station booked Ms. A, who was riding as a passenger wearing a bikini, and Mr. B, who was driving topless, on charges of excessive exposure under the Minor Offenses Act. On July 31, Ms. A and Mr. B caused controversy by riding motorcycles on a road in Gangnam-gu while wearing a bikini or topless.

At the time, netizens criticized their attire as inappropriate for the time and place. They pointed out that the somewhat revealing clothing was worn not at a resort or cultural festival site but in the middle of the city.

However, it remains unclear whether Ms. A and Mr. B will face legal punishment. The standard for excessive exposure under the Minor Offenses Act is limited to exposing “major parts of the body such as genitals or buttocks” in a way that “causes embarrassment or discomfort to others.” Since feelings of shame and discomfort vary individually, it is pointed out that whether they will be punished depends on the court’s judgment.

Court rulings have also varied by case. In 2016, a man in his 30s who walked around cafes in Daegu wearing fishnet underwear with a genital model attached and leather hot pants was sentenced to prison in the first trial for public obscenity but was acquitted in the second trial. On the other hand, in 2019, a man who exposed his buttocks by tucking the back of his skirt into pantyhose at a department store in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, was found guilty.

Netizens’ opinions are also divided. Those urging legal punishment commented, “Clothing should fit the time and place,” “If you want to perform, do it where only adults gather; minors can see this, so it’s not acceptable,” and “They should be punished severely.”

Conversely, netizens opposing legal punishment responded, “Norms continuously change with the times; what does it matter what others wear or don’t wear?” “If this attire is punishable, then Halloween festivals should be punished too,” “Is it allowed at beaches but not on the streets?” “Is this the enlightenment period?” and “They wore helmets, so it’s ridiculous that they had to appear at the police station.”

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