Subway Fully Packed but "One Seat for Bags"... Public Outrage Over Inconsiderate Passenger

Passengers Unable to Sit Due to Luggage on Seats
Continuously Standing, Watching Phones or Napping Despite Uncomfortable Glances

A photo of a female passenger who placed her bag on the seat to prevent others from sitting next to her and half-lying down, causing discomfort, has been posted on an online community, sparking outrage among netizens.

The two women in the photo revealed by Mr. A continued to use their mobile phones without paying attention to the stares of many people on the electric train, and eventually even closed their eyes and fell asleep.
[Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream']

On the 7th, a post titled "Look at these inconsiderate women on the subway" was uploaded on the online community BobaeDream. The author, Mr. A, began by saying, "I was on the subway at the time, and two female passengers who appeared to be friends shamelessly placed their belongings on empty seats and sat down." Because of them, other passengers had to stand as they could not sit in the empty seats.

A photo of a female passenger who placed her bag on the seat to prevent other passengers from sitting next to her and half-lying down, causing discomfort, has been posted on an online community, sparking outrage among netizens. [Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream']

In the photo shared by Mr. A, despite the subway car being crowded, the two women paid no attention to others' gazes, continuing to use their phones and even closing their eyes to nap. Mr. A explained that they were friends and sighed at their rude behavior, saying, "When it was time to get off, they each picked up a bag and got off together."

He added, "Citizens may remember the incident on a metropolitan bus where a passenger shouted that the seat next to them was for their belongings. No one reprimanded these women," he said. Netizens who saw Mr. A’s photo criticized it as 'bad manners' unsuitable for public transportation. Comments included, "Is it okay if only they are comfortable? That’s selfish," "This is why people talk about home education," and "Someone else might want to sit; we need to be considerate of others."

Wise Ways to Handle Various Types of Troublesome Subway Passengers

The 'metropolitan bus nuisance' incident mentioned earlier by Mr. A refers to an event on December 23 last year around 6 p.m. at Jamsil Metropolitan Transfer Center, where a passenger on a metropolitan bus heading to Gyeonggi Province insisted, "I have a lot of shopping bags, so I need to put them on the seat next to me. Don’t touch my belongings," which drew heavy criticism. Additionally, recently, a woman eating on the Seoul metropolitan subway while emitting food odors and a male passenger eating 'Sari Gomtang cup ramen' next to the door of Line 2 last month caused public displeasure.

In addition, recently, a woman eating and emitting food odors on the Seoul metropolitan subway and a male passenger standing next to the door of Line 2 subway train early last month eating 'Sari Gomtang cup noodles' were posted, causing citizens to frown.
[Photo by JTBC News]

According to the Seoul Metro Corporation’s travel transportation regulations, if a passenger carries items that may cause discomfort or harm to other passengers due to unpleasantness, uncleanliness, or odor, measures such as refusal of transportation or removal from the station during travel can be taken. On the other hand, eating food on buses is prohibited. Since January 4, 2018, all beverages and food in disposable cups have been banned on Seoul city buses due to safety concerns and food odors.

Prohibited items include 'food that can spill or leak with slight impact' and 'unpackaged food that can be eaten anytime inside the bus.' However, unopened canned beverages with lids and food ingredients such as vegetables, fish, and meat in plastic bags for transport are allowed.

Such troublesome or problematic passengers are occasionally encountered when using the subway. While directly addressing the issue is the quickest solution, it is often difficult due to the risk of retaliation or involvement in unpleasant incidents such as violence or verbal abuse.

In such cases, there is a way to quietly report and request help without anyone knowing. First, check the vehicle number you are on. The vehicle number is located above the train doors or above the automatic doors connecting to the next car. If it is difficult to find the vehicle number, knowing the next station and the final destination (e.g., ㅇㅇ-bound) is sufficient to report. However, not knowing the exact vehicle number may delay the response as the exact train car cannot be identified. Once you have the vehicle number or the next and final stations, send a text message to the line-specific reporting center.

The message can be something like, "A passenger on train number ㅇㅇㅇㅇㅇ is causing a disturbance. Please handle the situation." Just include the necessary information and send it. When the subway corporation receives the report, security officers will be waiting at the next station to assess and take appropriate action. Besides text reporting, there is also an app reporting method. Reporting via an app automatically detects your location, making it more convenient. You can use the apps 'Ttota Subway' or 'KORAIL Subway Talk' for reporting.