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It was found that more than 2,000 singing practice centers (karaoke rooms), which were not open for a long time due to the government’s collective ban order, were closed, the most in 13 years last year. On the other hand, the karaoke industry had the worst year since there were the fewest openings ever. Accordingly, karaoke business operators are protesting against the government’s quarantine measures, such as claiming 2.5 billion won worth of damages against the city of Seoul and conducting nighttime demonstrations.
According to the results of an analysis of statistics from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security by the Commercial Information Research Institute, a profitable real estate research and development company on the 19th, the number of karaoke rooms that were closed in 2020 was 2,137, a 33% increase from 2019 (1,608). This is the highest number of business closures in 13 years since 2007 (2,460). There are only 389 karaoke bars that have opened, and related statistics in 1987 reached the lowest level since statistics. Compared to 2018 (774 places) and 2019 (755 places), it is at the level of half. By region, 525 places in Gyeonggi-do and 369 places in Seoul were closed, and the metropolitan area occupied nearly half of the total closed karaoke rooms. Hyun-taek Cho, a researcher at the Commercial Information Research Institute, said, “Karaoke, which is perceived as a confined space, suffered a greater blow to the prohibition of gatherings, resulting in decreased openings and increased closing of business.
In fact, karaoke rooms in Seoul had to close on 146 days, 60% of the 241 days, after the first ban on meetings on May 21 last year and before the 18th, when business resumed. As a result, karaoke operators, who have faced a livelihood crisis from long-term rental and labor expenses without sales, are rebelling against the government’s order to ban collective gatherings. Currently, it is possible to open until 9 pm, but some karaoke bars are holding’open protests’ until midnight, saying that this is a measure that does not reflect the characteristics of the industry. In addition, on the 18th, it filed a court of 2.5 billion won against the Seoul City Court in Seoul District Court. In the future, it plans to request a constitutional complaint for the absence of any loss compensation regulations under the Infection Act.
An official from the Coin Singing Practice Center Association said, “The business is characterized by unmanned operation 24 hours a day, but there is little improvement because it is not open at night and needs to be supplemented with quarantine personnel.” “Since no confirmed cases of infectious disease have been released, the government will demand reasonable compensation for the unfair business ban.”
/ Reporter Jaemyung Lee [email protected]
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