On the afternoon of the 15th, inside a Suin–Bundang Line commuter train. A sudden shout erupted on a train passing Yatap Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. An argument began when a passenger asked a middle-aged couple sitting in a seat reserved for pregnant women to "please use another empty seat."
Agitated, the husband hurled insults and eventually struck the passenger who had asked them to move, hitting the passenger on the head. The tussle stopped only after two stations, when police arrived.
◇ Subway 'villain' controversy spreads
Cases of so-called "villains" who cause discomfort or threaten others on public transportation such as subways continue without letup. Calls are growing for response measures such as strengthening patrols by the Subway Police Unit.
According to Seoul Metro on the 18th, complaints related to disruptions of order on trains totaled 281,089 from 2021 through last year, an average of 154 a day. The figure includes all conduct that interferes with subway use, from itinerant vendors to disturbances and assaults.
The Railroad Safety Act stipulates imposing fines of up to 500,000 won for acts that harm passengers. A Seoul Metro official said, "When a report is filed, subway security officers or station staff are dispatched to the scene to stop it, and police intervene depending on the situation."
Despite a hard-line response, disorderly conduct has been slow to decline. In particular, the pattern is said to be growing more aggressive, escalating from shouting or behavior that causes discomfort to other passengers to disturbances and assaults.
On the 2nd, on Seoul Subway Line 1, a middle-aged man hurled insults at a pregnant woman sitting in a seat reserved for pregnant women. On the 4th, on a Donghae Line train in Busan, a middle-aged woman caused a disturbance by shouting when asked to move a bag placed on the adjacent seat.
Also on the 10th, a video showing a woman blocking a subway doorway and obstructing passage was posted on social media (SNS). Passengers behind her asked, "We're trying to pass," but the woman ignored them and did not step aside until the train departed.
◇ Online spread and secondary issues.. "Apply zero tolerance"
Some say the behavior of subway villains is spawning additional problems as it spreads online. As inconsiderate actions on the subway are consumed not as targets of criticism but as "entertaining content," they could instead provoke similar behavior.
On YouTube and elsewhere, there is no shortage of content repackaged as "subway villain" ranking videos compiling rampages on trains. A clip of someone brandishing a danso and threatening citizens is called the "danso killer" and has logged 18 million views. A video ranking multiple cases has also been viewed more than 6 million times.
Experts analyze that individual psychological factors and the spatial characteristics of subways can underlie such behavior. Although it is a space crowded with an unspecified many, the anonymity makes people less conscious of others' eyes, they note.
Lim Jun-tae, a professor in the Department of Police Administration at Dongguk University, said, "There is a similar aspect to how young children harass others and enjoy the reaction," and added, "It causes direct harm, but the level of punishment is often low, making it hard to control."
Experts said responses to maintain order on subways should be strengthened to reduce the likelihood of escalation into more serious crimes. Kim Sang-gyun, a professor in the Department of Police Science at Baekseok University, said, "Given the nature of public transportation, there is a need to apply a zero-tolerance principle to crimes on subways," and added, "For inconsiderate behavior as well, patrols by the Subway Police Unit should be increased to raise awareness."