"Young Women, Never Follow Them" Repeated Forced Sales Tactics Near Gangnam Station

Forced Sales of Skincare Services Targeting Young Women
"Me Too": Victim Stories Flood Social Media

Cases of so-called forced sales of skincare services, where young women are lured near Gangnam Station in Seoul with offers of "free skincare coupons" and then pressured into making expensive payments, have been occurring repeatedly. Online, warnings such as "Just ignore them and walk away no matter what" are being shared along with real-life accounts of victimization.

An entire building in Gangnam-gu is occupied by a plastic surgery clinic. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article.

Recently, on social networking services (SNS) such as X (formerly Twitter), posts have been circulating advising young women who have just become adults or moved to Seoul, "If anyone near Gangnam Station asks if you want to try a free skincare treatment, just ignore them and walk away."

One user on X commented, "They'll try to lure you in by saying it's 'only for students' or 'a special offer for the opening,' but in the end, they'll make you pay for everything." The user added, "They'll drag you into a consultation room in no time, so it's very easy for those who are just coming of age and not used to the ways of the world, or who have trouble refusing, to fall victim." The user continued, "The middle-aged women who approach you are extremely persuasive. If you hesitate, you'll find yourself in a consultation room. If you're shy and have difficulty saying no, you'll be pressured into making a payment."

Other users reported similar experiences. One person said, "This method has been around for a while, but it seems like there are a lot more cases of people being physically taken these days." Another user commented, "It's never the victim's fault. But as the world becomes harsher, we need to protect ourselves more firmly."

There have also been testimonies from those who actually suffered damage. One user shared, "When I came to my senses, I was sitting in a dermatologist's consultation room. I managed to avoid payment by insisting I had no money and would come back with my mother tomorrow, but in the end, they resorted to personal insults and belittling my appearance."

Such forced sales of skincare services usually occur in the Gangnam Station area, with middle-aged women approaching young women. The solicitors start by saying, "You can get a free skincare treatment," and if the target does not firmly refuse, they may grab their arm or encourage them to accompany them to a nearby dermatology clinic. During the consultation, clinic staff often recommend adding extra payment to the free coupon for better procedures or, after a trial treatment, pressure the customer into prepaying hundreds of thousands of won for a skincare program.

However, if there is no assault or threat involved, it is difficult for such actions to be recognized as coercion under criminal law. For coercion to be established, the act must go beyond simple pressure or discomfort and involve a threat serious enough to cause fear in the victim.

Under current law, it is possible to get a refund even if you have purchased skincare services or cosmetics. For skincare services, you can terminate the contract at any time during the contract period by paying a penalty. For physical products such as cosmetics, a refund is possible only if the items are unopened and unused. If purchased through door-to-door sales, you can withdraw your purchase within 14 days of purchase; for online purchases, you can cancel within 7 days.