Gaining Momentum at Impeachment Rallies: 'Prepayment' Culture
Sharing Prepaid Food and Drinks
A System Relying Only on Conscience... High Uncertainty
"Proof of a Trust Society, Must Be Preserved"
The 'prepayment culture' that began during the rally calling for the impeachment of former President Yoon Seok-yeol at the end of last year is becoming a representative form of donation in Korea. Prepayment donation is a method where donors pre-order and pay for a specific quantity of food at a store, and the business owner prepares that amount of products to distribute to citizens. Previously, anonymous citizens also helped victims and disaster survivors through prepayment during the Jeju Air passenger plane accident and the large-scale wildfire in Gyeongbuk.
Started at Rallies, Expanding into Online Donation Culture
The scene of a nearby cafe during the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do. Photo by Yonhap News
The prepayment culture came to the surface during the candlelight rallies calling for the impeachment of former President Yoon held last year in places like Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Netizens who could not participate in the protests pre-paid for food at nearby cafes or bakeries and offered it to rally participants, a form closer to a kind of support. Later, as celebrities also joined in prepayment, the amount and scale rapidly increased.
At the site of the Jeju Air passenger plane accident that occurred on December 29 last year at Muan International Airport in Jeonnam, the prepayment donation culture also appeared. As families of the victims gathered at the airport, demand for various foods and daily necessities surged, and donors helped the families and volunteers through prepayments at nearby restaurants and convenience stores. During last month's large wildfire in Gyeongbuk, various prepayments for firefighters also poured in.
'Limitations Relying on 'Conscience'... Complaints Persist
Although the prepayment donation culture is spreading, many people express skepticism about whether it can become a representative donation culture in Korea in the future. This is because the entire donation process relies solely on individual conscience. If someone tries to gain excessive profit during the prepayment process, goodwill can be broken at any time.
Some netizens launched a star rating attack on the "Muk-twi suspected store," which was accused of not preparing the amount of food corresponding to the prepayment, sparking controversy. Screenshot from a review site
In fact, complaints surrounding prepayment have continuously emerged since the impeachment protests. There were suspicions of so-called 'meoktwi' (eating and running), where people who were not rally participants took the food, or self-employed business owners prepared less food than the ordered quantity. Some netizens, dissatisfied with stores suspected of meoktwi, carried out review bombing, which sparked controversy.
There is also advice that separate efforts are needed to sustain the prepayment culture without damaging trust.
Professor Lee Eun-hee of the Department of Consumer Studies at Inha University said, "Although there are complaints, the prepayment culture is still relatively well maintained," and added, "It is a welcome sign that a trust society has emerged in Korea where business is conducted based on mutual trust without concrete contracts." However, she emphasized, "It is more important to preserve and not damage trust going forward," and "Whether the prepayment culture continues ultimately depends on the efforts of consumers and self-employed business owners."
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