One of Seoul’s historic villages is introducing a curfew for tourists following an explosion of visitors. The measure aims to protect the rights of residents but has sparked debate about how to manage the explosion of tourism in South Korea. Amelia Costigan reports.
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00:006 million people visited historic Bukhon Hanok in 2023, a village with a permanent population
00:10of just over 6,000 people.
00:13But from November, tourists will no longer have full access to this popular spot.
00:17A curfew will limit visitors between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to give locals a respite from
00:23the crowds.
00:24Many people come and try to push open the door by grabbing the doorknob, or make various
00:30noises under the window, take pictures, or make various disturbances.
00:35It's quite stressful.
00:38People come for just a day to enjoy themselves, and the noise from parties is extremely loud.
00:43There's a lot of trash in the neighborhood, so I've had to clean in front of my house
00:46multiple times.
00:48Narrow alleyways and traditional Korean houses give the village a distinct charm, but residents
00:53have been leaving in droves, with a 27 percent drop in the population over the past decade.
01:02We're trying to make tourists come in a balanced way, and not cause major inconvenience to
01:06the residents.
01:07This is the first time we're implementing such a policy in South Korea, so we'll work
01:12closely with residents to make adjustments if necessary.
01:15But locals are divided, and questions remain about enforcement of the $110 fine for breaking
01:21the curfew.
01:22People would want to visit here if tourists are fined for violating the curfew.
01:26They'll leave with a bad impression of South Korea.
01:28This would negatively impact South Korean products as well.
01:31Authorities relaxed bans on traditional homes offering accommodation in 2020, leading to
01:37a surge in corporate-run homestays, which are adding to local concerns about commercialization
01:43of the centuries-old village.
01:48This was once a residential area, but now it's under construction, and soon a company
01:52operated Hanok experience facility, a Hanok hotel, will open here.
01:56Along this alley, several more of these kinds of places are continuously popping up, and
02:01some are already in operation.
02:04A curfew trial period kicks off in November, with an official launch in March, so rowdy
02:10tourists are officially on notice.