Left 2,000 Won Cash with an Apology Handwritten Letter
CCTV Shows a 90-Degree Bow Toward the Camera
Students who used an unmanned photo booth accidentally broke a headband and left 2,000 won in cash along with a letter, touching the hearts of netizens.
On the 16th, a post titled "Children Who Made a Touching Morning" was uploaded on the self-employed community "Because It's Painful, I'm a Boss." The author, Mr. A, identified himself as the owner of an unmanned photo booth in Yeongjongdo, Incheon. He began the post by saying, "The day before, a student called and said, 'The headband broke,' so I told them to be careful next time and hung up." He then shared, "The next morning, when I went to clean (the photo booth), the children had left this letter and 2,000 won," and revealed a photo. In the photo was a letter apologizing for breaking the headband along with the 2,000 won in cash.
Children waving at the unmanned photo studio's closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera[Image source: Captured from Naver Cafe 'Apeunikka Sajangida']
Regarding this situation, Mr. A expressed, "It was so touching that it brought tears to my eyes." But that was not the end. When Mr. A checked the CCTV footage from the previous day, he saw the girls bowing 90 degrees toward the camera. He said, "I got emotional watching the recording, wondering what kind-hearted children they are," adding, "The children even greeted the camera. One girl bowed deeply for quite a while." He added, "If I see these students on the street, I want to tell them it's okay and praise them."
Mr. A said, "Running an unmanned photo booth hasn't been as profitable as I hoped, and there have been incidents like people breaking cameras or spitting, making me consider quitting. But these children made my heart warm today," concluding with, "To all self-employed bosses, I hope your business goes well and you have a happy day like today's clear weather."
Netizens who read this story responded with comments such as, "The children's hearts are so pure," "I wonder who their parents are," "I hope they grow up just like this," "This is touching," "Thanks to them, I feel recharged with humanity," and "Such lovely children. They seem kinder and more mature than adults."
Children's handwritten notes and 2,000 won in cash left behind [Image source=Captured from Naver Cafe 'Apeunikka Sajangida']
Meanwhile, as various unmanned stores increase, so do incidents of theft, property damage, and even disturbing behaviors like using the restroom inside the stores, causing public disapproval.
On March 28, Mr. B, who operates an unmanned photo booth, complained, "Two adult men came in the early morning with ice cream in their mouths, inserted it into the terminal before taking photos, and left it there." Due to the melted ice cream, the card terminal broke down, and Mr. B claimed he suffered a total loss of 300,000 won, including the cost of the terminal and repair visit fees.
Also, on December 16 last year in Wonju, Gangwon Province, a high school student entered an unmanned store in the early morning, took snacks, and tried to pay at the kiosk. When the payment did not go through as intended, he damaged the store's fixtures and was charged with property damage. CCTV footage installed in the unmanned store showed him moving around, kicking display racks holding products, and throwing items by hand, causing chaos for about 40 minutes.
According to a recent analysis by security company S-1 on crime trends in unmanned stores over the past five years, 52% of theft offenders were teenagers, followed by 36% in their 20s, 7% in their 30s, and 5% in their 40s. By day of the week, crimes were concentrated on weekends (34%), and by time, mostly during late-night hours from midnight to 6 a.m. (61%). By industry, unmanned laundromats (33%) and unmanned photo booths (33%) had particularly high proportions.
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