"It's Not About Cleaning"... Pension Owner Criticizes Controversy Over Cleaning Up After Stay

Recent Online Debate Over "Cleaning Up After Pension Stay" Continues
Pension Owner Argues, "It's Labor, Not Rest"
"Guests Deserve an Environment for True Relaxation"

A controversy over "cleaning up after staying at a pension," which has recently become a hot topic online, is drawing attention after the owner of a pension business argued that this is a misguided practice. On June 17, a post written by pension owner A on their social networking service (SNS) spread across online communities. A stated, "I always thought the issue of cleaning up after staying at a pension would eventually become a controversy," adding, "This is not simply a matter of cleaning, but a discussion about standards of service and respect."

This is an interior view of an accommodation and is not related to any specific content of the article.

A commented, "Guests book accommodations expecting to relax. However, if they are required to separate trash, wash dishes, and tidy up bedding before checking out, that is no longer relaxation." A pointed out, "Voluntary consideration and forced obligation are clearly different." A also said, "Even before I started running a pension, I questioned this culture. After starting my own business, I thought more deeply about 'what kind of experience I want to give my guests,' and I ultimately made a decision. Since the guest's time is valuable, I decided to handle the cleaning myself so that guests could spend even one more second enjoying their stay at my accommodation."

A continued, "When I visited a pension to relax, on the last day it felt like I was leaving after a day of work. After drinking late into the night, if I wanted to eat just one pack of ramen in the morning, I had to think about doing the dishes again, so I couldn't even recover from my hangover. I had to clean up, separate the trash, and tidy up the bedding. That isn't rest, it's labor." A insisted, "I didn't like that, and that's why now that I run a pension myself, I've decided to make a change. I believe this is the right direction." A added, "Now, I'm glad and encouraged to see more people asking the same questions and speaking out loud about this issue."

A also stated, "The culture of pensions is something we all create together. These small voices coming together can definitely bring about change." A addressed other business owners in the industry, saying, "It may be uncomfortable, but I want to be clear: this is not a long-standing tradition, but a misguided practice. Someone needed to speak up, and I chose to take on that role." A further added, "The pension industry cannot continue as it is. Only when guests can truly rest will the value of our service be recognized. Changes made for the benefit of guests will ultimately build trust across the entire industry. That change must start with us."

Previously, a post titled "Controversial Pension Usage Rules" was uploaded to an online community, sparking related debate. The photo uploaded by user B included rules stating that guests must wash dishes before checking out. B stated, "On weekends, the cost of staying at a pension ranges from 200,000 to 500,000 won, with check-in at 3 p.m. and check-out at 11 a.m. Should I have to wash dishes and separate trash? Isn't the time too tight?"

Many online users agreed with B, saying, "I don't like the pension culture. The cost is high, and the usage time is short. On top of that, many places require cleaning, dishwashing, and separating trash." On the other hand, some argued, "It is normal and expected to clean up and organize trash before leaving an accommodation. Even if it isn't spotless, it's proper etiquette to tidy up to some extent before checking out." These differing opinions continue to clash.