Unwanted contact, illegal filming, dirty water: Worries mount over sexual harassment, sanitation at Han River pool parties
Seoul’s viral Han River pool parties are drawing huge crowds, but some guests complain that they have turned into "hunting" spots for overaggressive men looking to hook up.
Visitors swim in a pool at Yeouido Han River park in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on July 13.YONHAP
A woman's recent trip to the Yeouido Han River swimming pool in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, suddenly turned into a frightening experience.
“I joined a group of women dancing in a circle holding hands in the middle of the pool, but suddenly, men surrounded us and started splashing water [on to us],” the woman told the JoongAng Ilbo on Tuesday, after visiting the pool on July 18. “One man behind me suddenly grabbed me by the belly and pressed himself against me. There were so many people, and the splashing made it impossible to react properly.”
She said she was not the only person who appeared to have been sexually harassed.
After making her way out of the crowded pool, she saw another woman crying while talking on the phone.
“I overheard her saying that a man she didn’t know pulled down her bikini top and played it off by pretending it was an accident,” the woman said. “That's when I realized I wasn't the only victim.”
She added that the atmosphere resembled a “hunting bar” — a type of Korean bar where visitors go to meet potential romantic partners.
“I saw strangers asking for each other's phone numbers after splashing around together, similar to a hunting bar,” she added.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Hangang swimming pools have become a viral summer destination among people in their 20s and 30s after earning a reputation online as a budget-friendly alternative to the Waterbomb, an annual summer music festival where participants get to spray water at each other. The city-run pool only charges an admission fee of 5,000 won ($3.45) for adults.
Left and right: Social media posts of visitors enjoying nighttime K-pop DJ performances in Han River swimming poolsSCREEN CAPTURE
A total of 262,433 people have visited the Han River parks' swimming pools and water parks since their opening on June 19 through Sunday.
The busiest times are evening hours between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., when younger visitors flock to the pools. The Yeouido Han River swimming pool hosts DJ parties on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.
Crowds sing along to hits by K-pop icons such as PSY and Big Bang. Videos showing the packed, festival-like atmosphere have spread widely on social media, which have further fueled the pools' popularity.
Unfortunately, the surge in visitors has been accompanied by reports of sexual harassment, illegal filming and other misconduct.
The Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station is investigating a man accused of secretly filming a woman without her consent at the Yeouido Han River swimming pool on July 17 in violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.
Visitors cool off at the Han River Park's Tteukseom swimming pool in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on July 29,NEWS1
Visitors have also been caught smoking and drinking alcohol despite the pools being designated smoke- and alcohol-free areas. The violations upset guests accompanying young children to the pools.
“There were so many people that debris was floating on the water, and you couldn't see anything underwater because it was so murky,” a visitor who visited the pool on Monday said. “I miss the clean, pleasant atmosphere the pool had when I came here with my family last year.”
The city is trying to improve safety at the pool by implementing a range of measures.
“We are carrying out preventive measures, such as installing banners warning against illegal filming, conducting joint inspections with police and increasing the number of safety personnel,” an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Government said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
