Vietnamese tourist under fire for practicing yoga on Gyeongbok Palace wall

Home > National > Social Affairs

Vietnamese tourist under fire for practicing yoga on Gyeongbok Palace wall

Published: 07 Nov. 2024, 10:37 Updated: 07 Nov. 2024, 16:30

A photo shared on social media appears to show a Vietnamese tourist in a yoga pose leaning against Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korean netizens and intellectuals are reacting negatively to photos of a Vietnamese female tourist practicing yoga in tight leggings at a historic royal palace in the center of Seoul.

The incident arose earlier this week when the woman shared photos on social media showing herself in a handstand yoga pose in front of Gyeongbok Palace, the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), during her recent visit to Korea.

VN Express, a Vietnamese newspaper, reported the controversial photos, triggering criticism from many social media users in both countries. According to the report, the woman defended herself, saying she was not cautioned by the palace's security staff.

Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Seoul's Sungshin Women's University who is known for his efforts to promote Korean interests abroad, raised concerns about possible damage to the nation's cultural properties.

"Vietnamese media pointed out that she acted inappropriately at a Korean historical site, and South Korean netizens also criticized her," Seo said on his social media.

"She is free to practice yoga in any country or region, but it is clearly wrong to practice yoga against the wall of cultural assets of other countries. Her alleged assertion that such conduct would not be a problem is wrong," the professor said, urging Gyeongbok Palace officials to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.

Many netizens agreed with Seo's views, denouncing her act as "rude and offensive."

"Gyeongbok Palace is a national treasure of Korea and its people. Her yoga done deliberately in front of the palace was clearly an insult to the Korean people," a Yonhap News reader said in a comment.

Another reader asks the woman why she chose the palace, though there are so many places to exercise, saying she should have observed basic order and manners.

Yonhap