The government began regulating ‘variant room cafes’, which have become hotbeds of youth crime and derailment, from last May.
Closed-room business and entry of young people were banned, but business owners were avoiding it with trickery.
I’m going again, this is reporter Lee Sol.
[Reporter]
A man dressed in white goes up the stairs carrying a plastic bag containing a bottle of alcohol.
After a while, she tries to help the woman who cannot control her down the stairs, but then she turns back up.
In July of last year, a man in his 20s was caught by the police for sexually harassing an elementary school student he met through chat.
The place used for the crime was a room cafe with a secret room.
Now, a year later, I visited the room cafe again.
There is a sign at the entrance stating that minors are not allowed, but there is no ID check procedure.
[Soundbite]
“Two people? (Yes, two.) Please come to room 6.”
There are mattresses in the room and the windows are covered with curtains.
[Room Café President]
“(Are minors not allowed to enter?) In principle, minors are not accepted in this multi-room.”
As it was pointed out that room cafes are abused for deviant behavior and crimes by teenagers, the government banned teenagers from entering closed-room cafes where doors and windows are covered with curtains or screens since last May.
Another room cafe that Channel A accused of entering minors a year ago.
Also, at the entrance, there is a sticker from the ward office saying that entry of people under the age of 19 is prohibited.
[Room cafe official]
“(When I came here a year ago, I was a student.) Back then, there was no law메이저놀이터.”
But inside, young guests come and go.
The teenagers who waited outside deny the fact that they came in.
[Teenager]
“(Have you ever been to a room cafe?) No.”
All employees testify that they pretend not to know unless the customer says they are underage.
[Room Café former employee]
“I rarely do ID checks, right now. I usually do. Doing things like checks means that the customer directly asks, ‘Can I come in here?’ When I asked, they seemed to say ‘no’.”
Because the price is cheap and easy to access, it is still abused for deviant youth.
[Teenager]
“Usually, most of them go to have sex. Motels are very expensive, and there are also some places that are not open. There is usually no time limit. (Are there friends who go to room cafes like that?) Yes, there are many.”
I went to a room cafe that teenagers usually go to.
After the youthful-looking couple finishes paying, the boss tells them how to cover the windows.
[Room cafe owner]
“There’s a window.
There is a rule that you must not cover windows with curtains, etc., but it is mana.
The situation is the same with some manga cafes and board game cafes.
The curtains were drawn so that only the feet could be seen, but it was more like a closed room.
Local governments also admit that it is difficult to judge the enforcement standards.
[Seoul City Manager]
“The Ministry of Leisure has to decide on clear guidelines. If we get confused on the spot, we ask the Ministry of Leisure to deal with it.”
The city of Seoul announced that it was intensively cracking down on these closed-room cafes during the month of July during the summer vacation.
Despite the crackdown, the tricks of business owners were still creating safety blind spots.
I’m going again. I’m Sol.