"What Am I Supposed to Do If They Film Other People's Faces?" ... "'My Face' Spreads Online After Chinese Customers Come in for Hair Services" [On the Scene]

Livestreaming treatments... Employees' and customers' faces exposed without consent
Filming disputes across Myeongdong and Hongdae... Interpreter hired
Salon owner: "Foreign customers boost sales, but they also bring significant challenges"

"Why should my face be exposed online while I'm doing a customer's hair?"

Chinese nationals livestream the sale of Korean cosmetics in the middle of Myeongdong Street in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 30th of last month, as passersby go about their day. Recently, filming has expanded beyond street livestreams like this to the interiors of businesses such as hair salons and makeup shops. Photo by Park Hosu

Lee Nara, a 23-year-old hairstylist at a salon near Hongik University Station in Seoul, was startled recently when an acquaintance contacted her with unexpected news. Dozens of videos featuring her face had been posted on social media platforms, including the global video platform TikTok and Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. A Chinese customer had livestreamed for two and a half hours while getting a perm and color treatment, then edited the footage into short videos and uploaded them. The videos showed not only Lee styling the customer's hair but also her conversations with colleagues over the radio earpiece in her ear. The videos had amassed well over 100,000 views.

As the K-beauty boom draws more foreign visitors to Korean hair salons and makeup shops, businesses across the industry are struggling with what has come to be known as "livestreaming fatigue." This is because Chinese influencers and tourists often bring smartphone stands and lighting equipment and livestream throughout their appointments.

On October 29, at a popular beauty salon near Hongik University Station, Wang Chu, a 26-year-old visitor from China, spoke nonstop in Chinese to her smartphone while getting her makeup done. She also held up an eyeshadow palette and lipstick to the camera to introduce the products. In the process, other customers seated behind her were clearly visible on screen. When a customer next to her, who was having her hair dried, appeared uncomfortable, a staff member approached and asked Wang to "adjust the angle just a little so the other customers' faces don't appear."

A notice prohibiting livestreaming and unauthorized filming inside the store is posted at a hair salon near Hongik University Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Park Hosu.

Choi, a 31-year-old senior makeup artist, said, "Once a livestream starts, it often continues until the service is finished, and it's common for other customers' faces to appear on screen, too. With more Chinese customers coming in, we have to mediate these conflicts more often, so we've even hired Chinese-speaking interpreters on a part-time basis."

The situation is no different at hair salons in major commercial districts across Seoul, including Myeongdong and Seongsu. A large hair salon in Myeongdong posted notices in Korean, English and Chinese on every mirror prohibiting filming other people and livestreaming. In practice, however, it is difficult to stop filming with notices alone. Many customers say from the reservation stage that they plan to share their appointments live on social media.

As foreign tourists increasingly choose to experience beauty and medical services firsthand during their trips, the industry is facing growing concerns. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, women accounted for 62.4% of foreign tourists visiting Korea from January through September this year, while people in their 20s and 30s made up about half (49.8%) of the total. During the same period, medical and wellness services, including dermatological procedures, makeup and hair services, accounted for 16.6% of foreign visitors' card spending.

Park, a 44-year-old hair salon owner in Myeongdong, Seoul, said, "Chinese customers spend so much that it's not easy to stop them outright from livestreaming or taking photos. It's true that foreign customers have boosted sales, but we can't ignore the discomfort expressed by our longtime Korean customers."

Another problem is that once videos spread across platforms, it can be difficult to get them taken down, even if a removal request is made. By the time someone discovers that they have been filmed, the video has often already spread, and they must also go through the process of requesting its removal from the platform. A TikTok Korea representative said, "Users who confirm that their portrait rights have been violated can report the content and request its removal through the TikTok Privacy Center," adding, "We do not disclose specific processing times."

Experts warn that indiscriminate livestreaming can lead to civil and criminal disputes. Yang Taeyoung, a lawyer at Doa Law Firm, said, "If someone films another customer's face without consent and livestreams or posts the footage, this generally constitutes an infringement of portrait rights and may result in liability for damages. If the person refuses a business owner's legitimate request to leave or disrupts business, they could also be charged with obstruction of business or refusing to leave."

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