YouTubers and streamers participate in live broadcast near Bucheon Station, Gyeonggi, in an undated photo.JOONGANG ILBO
A familiar nuisance is returning to Bucheon Station in Gyeonggi — namely, YouTubers stripping down, shouting in the streets and staging bizarre antics for their livestreams.
Streamers had largely disappeared from Bucheon Station on Gyeongin subway line No. 1 after months of crackdowns, but they are now trickling back as city officials and local merchants watch warily.
When this JoongAng Ilbo reporter stepped outside exitNo. 3 of Bucheon Station on July 29, they were greeted by a banner reading, “Illegal YouTubers OUT.”
In an alley lined with shops, YouTubers could be seen streaming from various spots. Despite temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), they continued broadcasting as they roamed the streets around the station. One YouTuber even walked into a clothing store wearing nothing but underwear and browsed the merchandise.
Most of the YouTubers who stream around Bucheon Station belong to loosely organized groups they call “crews.”
“I come here because this is where the other YouTubers are,” one streamer said when asked why they frequented Bucheon Station. “I’m in a crew myself, so I’m here pretty often.”
A banner, which reads, "Those who support troublemaking YouTubers are no better themselves,” is posted on a glass wall near Bucheon Station, Gyeonggi, on July 29.BYUN MIN-CHUL
Another was less willing to talk.
“I don’t want to do an interview,” the YouTuber said. “There are plenty of other YouTubers around. Go interview them.”
YouTubers and broadcast jockeys, or internet streamers, began gathering near Bucheon Station in 2022. They began broadcasting scenes of drinking, profanity and violence. It has since become a “mecca for YouTubers.” The antics sometimes spilled into more serious confrontations.
In September last year, a broadcast jockey was injured while livestreaming at the station after a female YouTuber in her 30s brandished a weapon. In June, a YouTuber was arrested and referred to prosecutors for allegedly threatening another YouTuber with a blunt weapon while broadcasting on the platform around Bucheon Station and elsewhere.
As complaints from residents about YouTubers surged, the Bucheon city government formed a response team with local merchants, police and others in September last year to improve the area’s reputation and devise countermeasures.
The city removed bollards that YouTubers could use as seats and significantly stepped up patrols. Merchants also held hourly campaigns aimed at eliminating disruptive YouTubers. Complaints subsequently plunged, and the number of YouTubers active around Bucheon Station visibly declined.
A group of YouTubers roam the neighborhood around Bucheon Station in Gyeonggi on July 29.BYUN MIN-CHUL
Recently, however, YouTubers have begun flocking back to Bucheon Station.
About 10 YouTubers show up each day and as many as 30 to 40 on busier days. Complaints have risen with their return, from just one between January and March to 21 between April and June.
Although the streamers are not as disruptive as they once were, they reportedly no longer stay in one place for long, moving around as they broadcast to avoid police officers and city officials.
Local merchants are increasingly anxious about the renewed gatherings.
“In the past, there were YouTubers who would strip almost completely naked and shout and cause disturbances,” Choi, a merchant who works near Bucheon Station, said. “I was extremely uncomfortable because I ended up appearing in their broadcasts, too. They’ve recently begun returning to the area around Bucheon Station, and seeing them roam around in groups can be unsettling. I’m worried about what might happen.”
The concerns extend beyond individual merchants.
“We have worked tirelessly to revive the commercial district around Bucheon Station after years of struggling business, but the YouTubers continue to damage the area’s image,” said Kim Yun-cheol, who leads a local merchants’ group working to revitalize the district.
“I hope the city will expand pedestrian-only areas and bring more people into the neighborhood so there is less room for the YouTubers to take over.”
YouTubers and streamers participate in live broadcast near Bucheon Station, Gyeonggi, in an undated photo.JOONGANG ILBO
Under current law, there is no legal basis for restricting YouTubers simply for broadcasting on the street. Authorities can impose little more than a fine under the Punishment of Minor Offenses Act when streamers cause a disturbance.
Ruling Democratic Party Reps. Kim Gi-pyo and Seo Young-seok, who represent constituencies in Bucheon, introduced bills last year and this year, respectively. The two bills are aimed at allowing authorities to punish and crack down on disruptive YouTubers.
“Most of the YouTubers who caused problems or pulled bizarre stunts in the past have since been arrested,” an official from Bucheon city’s media safety team said. “We will keep monitoring the situation and call the police when necessary.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
