What Will Nightlife Look Like in Seoul After COVID-19?
As one of the countries that handled the COVID-19 outbreak best, South Korea has managed to flatten its curve and is already lifting many of the restrictions that had been put in place to stop the spread of the virus. South Koreans have started going back to work, crowding malls, going to parks, and with some restaurants resuming operations, it won’t be long until the buzzing nightlife in Seoul and other cities goes back in full swing. However, while this is great news if you’ve been looking forward to going to your favorite club to display the dance moves you’ve learned during the lockdown, you can expect things to be quite a bit different from the pre-COVID days. Until a vaccine is found, the threat is still alive and clubs will have to make some changes to keep their staff and patrons safe.
A more low key experience
Even if they are allowed to reopen, clubs will not be nearly as lively or packed as they were before COVID-19. For one, a lot of people are still scared of the virus and are not willing to put themselves in any risky situations just for a few hours of fun. On top of that, social distancing rules will force many establishments to operate at half or even a quarter of their normal capacities. This may force them to increase their prices or introduce admission fees that could further discourage people from going out.
Meeting operational requirements
Apart from reducing their capacity, clubs will have to adhere to strict safety guidelines to be allowed to operate and to protect themselves from legal action should a person get the virus while there. First of all, clubs will have to ensure that all staff members are wearing personal protective equipment. Masks, in particular, will be a requirement not only for the staff but also for the patrons as they have been shown to drastically reduce the chances of COVID-19 spreading. Clubs may also be required to perform body temperature tests on everyone while recording their personal information to make contact tracing easier.
Strict sanitation guidelines
Cleanliness has been identified as one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, whether it’s through hand-washing or cleaning surfaces that could harbor the virus. To boost safety, clubs will have to improve their cleaning practices, starting with doing it a lot more often. For instance, a deep cleaning session that most clubs only did once per week or even once per month during the pre-COVID days will now have to be done every day to get rid of any germs that the previous night’s occupants left. High-contact areas like the toilets and bars will need to be disinfected multiple times during the night to keep them safe. Tables and chairs will also need to be cleaned after the occupant leaves to ensure protect the next occupant. Clubs will also have to provide hand-washing stations at the entry points to ensure that patrons sanitize before being allowed in.
After months of being forced to stay at home, Koreans are itching for a chance to visit their favorite clubs and blow off some steam. However, until a coronavirus vaccine is available, there are still many safety concerns that the party-goers, club managers, and local authorities must address. Tough challenges lay ahead for all stakeholders but through design, technology, and ingenuity, people can return to nightclubs safely and have a wonderful time even if they may be meters away from each other.
