"Awoke in a Reed Field After Taking a Late-Night Taxi?"... High Alert as Urban Legends Spread

Following a series of recent missing persons and death cases in Jeju, unverified claims continue to spread rapidly, particularly online.

A video titled "The Real Security Situation in Jeju Told by a Jeju Resident" was posted on a YouTube channel with about 70,000 subscribers.

In the video, the YouTuber shared an acquaintance's alleged experience, saying, "After drinking late at night, they took a taxi and fell asleep, but when they woke up after some time, they were in the middle of a reed field." The YouTuber added, "The car was parked, the taxi driver was outside talking on the phone with someone, and when they looked around, nothing but reeds were visible."

The YouTuber further stated that the woman managed to get out of the back seat, pushed her way through the reed field while the driver was on the phone, escaped, and later reported the incident to the police.

The video also mentioned an incident that allegedly took place at a public restroom near Jeju City Hall.

"A man suddenly jumped out from the next stall in a women's public restroom near Jeju City Hall and choked a woman with a cell phone charger cord. When she screamed, a young man who was in the men's restroom rushed in, and the culprit was caught," the video claimed.

The YouTuber explained, "Since then, safety restroom lighting and emergency bells have been installed outside the city hall public restroom."

The YouTuber also argued that the visa-waiver program, which allows foreigners to tour Jeju Island without a Korean visa, is being exploited for crime, citing examples such as a gang of foreign nationals robbing a jewelry store and fleeing the country on the first flight out at dawn.

Anxieties regarding public safety in Jeju are spreading, raising concerns as unverified rumors continue to circulate.

While comprehensive safety inspections and reinforced security are necessary across the Jeju region, critics point out that the online reproduction of sensational tips could generate unnecessary fear and conflict among local residents and tourists.

Amid ongoing controversies over police mishandling of successive missing persons cases and the influx of various online ghost stories, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is pursuing comprehensive measures for a tourist safety network in cooperation with the Jeju Tourism Association as a follow-up to the "Safe Jeju" measures announced on August 27.

Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by IYOO | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.