Yonhap reported on November 5 that the actions of a Vietnamese female tourist in Seoul received mixed opinions from the online community. This article also quickly received attention from the Korean online community and ranked number 1 in the most read content of the day.
Photos of a Vietnamese female tourist doing yoga at the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace in South Korea, also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace, have been circulating on social media platforms. This is a Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1910) palace and is also the largest of the five remaining grand palaces in Korea.
Images posted on social media are considered inappropriate poses in public places.
Immediately after the photos and videos were widely shared on social networks such as TikTok, Facebook..., this woman continuously received harsh comments, many social network users commented that this behavior was "annoying" and "inappropriate".
The post on the fanpage with more than 2.2 million followers received thousands of critical comments. One account commented: "The palace is a sacred place of their country, just like our Hue Imperial City. Why do they behave like that, so shameful." Besides the opposing opinions, supporters said that the female tourist's pose helps inspire people to practice yoga and "confidently show off their personality" even when they are abroad.
The image makes many people shy
The Vietnamese female tourist, the owner of the photos that went viral, said that she had a schedule to visit some tourist attractions in Seoul that day. Seeing the beautiful wall, she stopped to take a few photos but did not go inside. "This is where the King and his concubines lived in the past, not a place of worship. I was also careful not to go inside, just practiced outside, not even reaching the gate," she said.
People passing by also clapped and cheered and asked to take photos with the Vietnamese female tourist. The security guards in this area saw but did not take any action to remind her. "However, next time I will learn from my experience and not practice yoga at such tourist destinations," she said. After the incident, photos of the female tourist checking in with yoga poses at some tourist destinations such as Bali, Maldives, and Singapore were also "dug up" and received many critical comments.
Gyeongbokgung, or Gyeongbokgung Palace, is the largest and most famous of the "Five Grand Palaces" of the Joseon Dynasty. Built in 1395, the palace was the center of political and cultural power of the dynasty. It is also the most famous check-in location in the capital city of Seoul.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, the pride of Korea
Gyeongbokgung Palace does not have an official dress code for visitors, but most visitors dress modestly, avoiding flip-flops, shorts, and short skirts because they are not considered appropriate attire in Korea. In particular, many people rent hanbok when entering the palace. When wearing traditional costumes, visitors will receive free entrance. This is a regulation to preserve and promote Korean culture.
This is not the first time yoga practitioners have caused controversy in the community. At the end of October, a group of tourists performed yoga on the top of Fansipan with sensitive postures, which were recorded by a foreign tourist and posted on social media, causing much criticism in the community. Previously, some yoga practitioners at cloud hunting spots in Da Lat and on the road in Thai Binh also received similar reactions.
