Yeosu's Tourism Image Tarnished by "Solo Diner Scolding" and "Rag Towel" Controversies

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Yeosu, a marine tourism city in South Jeolla Province symbolized by its night sea, is currently facing criticism due to poor service at restaurants and lodging establishments. With about a year left before the World Island Expo, Yeosu City, embarrassed by the spreading complaints about unkindness and hygiene both online and offline, has belatedly begun to strengthen inspections and management.

Yeosu City Hall building exterior.

According to Yeosu City on August 6, a controversy has erupted on social media regarding a resort-style hotel in Yeosu that charges 400,000 won per night but provided guests with a towel labeled as a "rag."

Posts describing a guest’s experience of using a towel to wipe a child, only to discover the word "rag" written on it, have led to a flood of comments sharing similar complaints about this hotel and Yeosu in general.

Previously, Yeosu attracted nationwide attention when a video surfaced showing a well-known restaurant scolding a YouTuber, who was dining alone, to "eat quickly" while the YouTuber was filming to introduce the restaurant.

Lee Seokju, a member of the Yeosu City Council, stated during a plenary session, "Unkind restaurants are a warning sign that reveals structural problems in Yeosu’s tourism and administration," adding, "What is most painful is that many citizens responded by saying, 'It was bound to happen.' This sentiment resonated with many."

On August 3, water supply was cut off in about 200 households around Yi Sunshin Square, a popular tourist area.

Although water service was restored for most households after about three hours, some guesthouses experienced a full day without water, causing significant inconvenience.

With repeated incidents damaging the city’s image, online reactions have even included comments such as "I’m skipping Yeosu."

Concerns are growing in the local community, which has been hoping to attract domestic and international tourists ahead of the World Island Expo scheduled for September next year.

A citizen working at the Yeosu Industrial Complex said, "Even though food prices around tourist attractions have increased, I accepted it, thinking that tourism must thrive for the local economy to survive. However, before all the hard-earned progress collapses due to a single careless comment from a restaurant worker or a rag in a hotel, there needs to be a collective effort for self-correction."

Yeosu City is preparing measures for each area, including pricing, hygiene, and customer service.

The city plans to visit lodging establishments in each district, such as Dolsan-eup, Bongsan-dong, Hwayang-myeon, and Sora-myeon, to investigate actual conditions including rates, and to increase the frequency of inspections for businesses with repeated complaints about unkindness by evaluating them in stages.

For the 144 businesses participating in the advance lodging fee reporting system, the city required them to create and post price lists at their entrances. In the second half of the year, Yeosu also plans to designate restaurants where solo dining is possible.

A Yeosu City official said, "We are considering expanding the activities of citizen evaluation panels and consumer monitors, as well as establishing a dedicated management system by matching public officials with businesses. We will also strengthen unannounced inspections to ensure 'visible' supervision and strive to improve the overall quality of tourism services."