On 6/10, a female employee at a coffee shop in Dasan ward, Namyangju city, Gyeonggi province, had several 1,000 won (19,000 VND) bills thrown at her by a group of male students during payment. She then had to retrieve the money from the floor while the students filmed outside.
One student subsequently shared the video on social media with the title "How to pay coolly?", sparking widespread indignation.
Online users condemned the act, stating that "throwing money to disrespect others is neither cool nor something to boast about." Another commenter criticized it as "uneducated behavior and unacceptable in social conduct." Some parents vowed to take strong action if their children were involved in the incident.
Two days after the incident, the coffee shop owner stated they only became aware of the situation after the video went viral on social media.
The owner explained, "the shop's policy does not permit part-time employees to resolve conflicts with customers themselves," noting that employees must report any issues to them. They speculated it was a prank among friends but had not yet confirmed this with the employee in the video.
The incident once again provoked public anger in South Korea regarding "gapjil" – the abuse of power or money to bully vulnerable individuals – a phenomenon common in the country.
In August, a similar incident in Namyangju city, Gyeonggi province, South Korea, also drew attention. After a prolonged wait outside the store and believing the employee ignored them, a male customer threw a cup of hot coffee from the table at the part-time employee. The victim sustained facial burns and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Police arrested the customer at the scene.
Hoai Anh (According to Money Today, MK)
