"I Want to Make Money, But This Isn't Right": Viral Namdaemun Scarf Shop Temporarily Closes

Unable to control the crowds, he closes temporarily
Owner: "It's affecting nearby merchants, too"

The so-called “Namdaemun Scarf Man,” who shot to fame on social media for his witty banter, eventually closed his shop as visitors poured in. As his popularity grew and crowds became too large to manage, he decided to close temporarily for safety reasons.

According to online communities and social media posts on November 2, Mr. A, a vendor who sells scarves at Namdaemun Market in Jung-gu, Seoul, announced a temporary closure on his social media account on October 31.

The so-called “Namdaemun Scarf Man,” who shot to fame on social media for his witty banter, eventually closed his shop due to the influx of visitors. SNS

Alongside a post saying, “I’ll take some time to get things in order for everyone’s safety and recover,” Mr. A shared a photo of a notice that read “Closed” and “Closed through Sunday.”

Mr. A is a vendor who became popular for selling six scarves for 10,000 won and for his distinctive, cheerful banter. Videos of him cracking unreserved jokes with customers, even discouraging them from buying things by saying, “You’re overspending. You won’t even use these when you get home,” spread across social media and made him popular.

The unexpected popularity soon became a burden. Visitors flocked to meet Mr. A in person or take photos with him, causing congestion around his shop and making it difficult for him to operate normally. In a recently released video, Mr. A told the crowds, “I want to make money too, but this isn’t right,” and said he would stop doing business. He added, “I have plenty of merchandise, but I’m not going to sell it. Take photos, keep the memories, and then please leave,” explaining, “I can’t handle this many people. I can’t control the crowds. I’ll hire someone and open again.” He was particularly concerned that “this is also causing problems for the other vendors,” as the crowds were disrupting business at nearby shops.

Mr. A had previously opened a social media account on October 28 and asked people not to visit in large numbers. At the time, he said, “So many people have been coming all at once that I haven’t been able to properly greet and talk with those who come, and I’ve unintentionally caused inconvenience to the other vendors nearby.” He added, “I’m not going anywhere; I’ll always be right here at Namdaemun Market. Rather than rushing here specifically to see me, I’d be grateful if you’d stop by whenever you come to explore the market, with an easy mind.” After news of Mr. A’s temporary closure spread, people online continued to express concern and support. One commenter said, “Most people in this situation would keep going to make money, but the owner seems to value people more than money, so I sincerely support him.”

Another commenter noted, “He’s not a celebrity, and if people keep pointing cameras at an ordinary person and filming him, he could even develop panic disorder,” adding, “Please just leave the owner in peace.” Others commented, “They’re shoving cameras in his face and filming him as if he were a celebrity. It seemed like too much,” “How difficult it must be for the owner to control the crowds pouring in for hours on his own while also selling his goods,” and “It can’t have been easy to close the shop on a precious weekend.” As interest has turned an ordinary market vendor into a social media star overnight and begun interfering with his livelihood, some are increasingly calling on visitors to refrain from excessive visits and filming.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.