A story about a large number of mites found on a motel bed in Seoul has sparked controversy on the 11th.
On the online community BobaeDream, a post titled "Refund issue at lodging full of mites. It's frustrating" was uploaded on the 10th.
The author, Mr. A, who frequently uses motels due to his on-site job, claimed, "I stayed at a motel located in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul for over a week, and a large number of mites and bedbugs appeared."
In the video Mr. A released, white linen pads show bedbug eggs, brown shells from the molting process, and adult bedbugs crawling around. When he pulled another part, it was also full of mites and bedbugs.
Mr. A also briefly showed his arm with red rash spots and said, "I have hives all over my body, and it itches so badly even when I stay still. When I scratch, it stings whenever it touches water. I got injections and took antihistamines, but I can't sleep."
He continued, "When I went to the emergency room, the doctor said the red spots were suspected to be caused by mites and bedbugs. Honestly, I had hives everywhere except where I wore clothes. I washed the clothes I didn’t wear twice at a laundromat with high heat. I moved to another lodging, but I couldn’t save other belongings, so I left them in that room for now."
"A rash appeared on the body," said Mr. A, who posted the photo. [Photo by Online Community BobaeDream Capture]
Mr. A said his anger grew after talking with the motel owner.
At first, Mr. A asked the motel owner without mentioning the mites, "I have hives, so do you change the bedding? Do you clean? How do you do laundry? What detergent do you use?"
The owner replied, "We change the bedding before customers arrive. Of course, we clean, and we use detergent usually used for water washing."
Mr. A said, "The owner said he would compensate for hospital bills but never refunded room charges before, so he refused. When my boss angrily asked for the motel’s operating terms, he said there were none. When asked how they handle problems, he repeatedly said, '(We) have never refunded customers,' like a parrot," expressing his frustration.
Unable to endure it any longer, Mr. A reported the damage to the Consumer Agency and the local district office’s sanitation department.
As netizens’ outrage grows over this post, a netizen claiming to be a current motel owner commented, "It seems like a cheap motel, but sheets are sent to a laundry service where they are ironed, so any mark is immediately visible once a guest lies down and gets up. I think that motel doesn’t change the sheets but only replaces the pad on top."
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