Following bookstores, the household goods chain Asung Daiso Co. is being cited as a new place for "beontta" (asking for someone's phone number), stirring controversy. As the perception spreads on some online communities that "women who go to Asung Daiso Co. are frugal," some customers are voicing discomfort.
Recently, a post appeared on an online community from a person who said she went to an Asung Daiso Co. store and was harassed by a stranger. The writer, identified as A, said, "Wasn't the national rule for beontta places like Kyobo Book Centre or Gangnam Station?" and noted, "These days its reach seems to have extended even to Asung Daiso Co."
After work at a large Asung Daiso Co. store, as A was checking an ingredients label, a man approached and asked, "Are you using the cosmetic you're choosing now?" He added that "the vibe is my style" and asked for a number. When A repeatedly refused, he persisted, saying, "If you just give me your number, I'll leave." Embarrassed, A shook him off and left Asung Daiso Co.
Afterward, when A searched about it, she found that online Asung Daiso Co. was already being mentioned as a "beontta mecca." Some posts reportedly even recommended the cosmetics shelves there as a place to ask for numbers, citing reasons such as "women who shop at Asung Daiso Co. are frugal and also take care of their appearance."
A said, "The idea that buying cosmetics means you're 'dolled up' is really off-putting," and added, "It was terrifying and unpleasant that the person wouldn't step aside even after I expressed refusal."
Experts note that repeatedly approaching someone at a particular location despite a clear refusal, or blocking movement and forcing conversation, can fall under violations of the Minor Offenses Punishment Act or be subject to the Anti-Stalking Act.