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Dog defecates in elevator, owner faces backlash for sloppy apology

Published: 02 Oct. 2025, 11:40

The owner of a dog that defecated inside an elevator posted this apology to apartment residents, in a mix of hangul and hanja (Chinese characters used in Korean), infuriating fellow residents even more. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

An elevator ride in an apartment turned into an online controversy after a dog defecated in the elevator and the owner left without cleaning up, only to later post an apology letter deemed so stilted and pretentious that it enraged fellow residents even more.

A resident of an apartment building posted their story on the online community Bobae Dream on Wednesday, describing what they called an “unthinkably unpleasant and absurd” incident.

At around 8 p.m. on Monday, a dog defecated in the middle of an elevator while its owner was distracted by their phone. The owner reportedly got off without even realizing what had happened, leaving the mess behind.

Multiple residents subsequently encountered the feces, and some children even stepped on it, according to the post. Residents immediately filed complaints with the apartment management office, but as staff had already left for the day, a security guard ended up cleaning the elevator instead. Despite the cleanup, the smell lingered into the next day, causing further distress among residents.

The online user explained that the management office later persuaded the dog owner to post an apology letter, but said it “lacked any sincerity.” A photo of the letter was also shared online.

The apology was written in a mixture of hangul and hanja (Chinese characters used in Korean), which is considered highly unusual. It read: “To all residents, I express my deepest regret for failing to notice and remove my dog’s waste in the elevator around 8 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2025. Sincerely, the dog owner.”

The online user criticized the letter, saying, “The excessive use of Chinese characters made it seem more like the owner was trying to look sophisticated rather than expressing genuine remorse. It was nothing more than a perfunctory, insincere apology.” They added they planned to post a reply letter beside the owner’s apology, urging the person to “reflect on their behavior.”

Online commenters also slammed the apology, calling it “nonsensical” and “insincere.”

Some questioned how the owner could have failed to notice the incident, while others mocked the use of Chinese characters, saying an apology should be “clear and simple.”

One user even pointed out that some of the Chinese characters were used incorrectly.

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.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]