Two men died at separate public bathhouses in Gyeonggi on Tuesday, according to police and fire authorities on Wednesday.
Back in Korea's 1970s, many Korean households had no proper showers which made visiting a public bathhouse a necessary ritual. Scrubbing down with a so-called Italy towel was more than a mere visit to clean the body — it was a social event.
Chung Young-ran, 63, a resident of Chupungnyeong-myeon in Yeongdong County, North Chungcheong, says she has high hopes for a public bathhouse to open in September.
Korea JoongAng Daily Sitemap
