Four female tourists, allegedly Malaysians, have sparked backlash in South Korea after they were reportedly caught taking photos inside a women-only nude bathing area at a traditional bathhouse in Busan.
According to SBS News, the incident took place at a well-known jjimjilbang in Haeundae on Nov 9.
The tourists were reportedly wearing hijabs and sunglasses when they entered the bathing area, where other women were naked.
Woman called police after seeing them take photos
The incident first came to light through a Threads post by a Korean user identified as Hanyoritta.
View on Threads
She said she had just finished using the sauna and was washing herself when she noticed the four tourists entering the bath area with their phones.
According to her account, the women then began taking photos inside the room.
Shocked, she quickly got dressed, alerted a staff member and called the police.
Photos found on their phones
The Threads user claimed the tourists initially denied taking any photos and that one of them resisted when asked to show her phone.
However, when police later checked their devices, photos taken inside the bathhouse were reportedly found.
SBS News reported that the images showed the interior of the bathing area, but did not directly capture any naked patrons.
According to The Rakyat Post, police gave the women a verbal warning and let them leave without arrest or a fine.
Allegedly identified as Malaysians
The Korean Threads user claimed she overheard that the four women were Malaysian when police checked their passports.
However, SBS News referred to them only as foreign tourists, meaning the Korean broadcaster did not independently confirm their nationality.
The user also alleged that the women were laughing while speaking to the police, which she said made her feel they did not understand the seriousness of what had happened.
She later filed a complaint through Korea’s government e-People portal regarding how police handled the case.
Incident sparks backlash in Korea and Malaysia
The incident has since triggered debate online over whether the women should have faced stronger action.
According to SBS News, Korean netizens questioned why the tourists were only warned despite taking photos in a space where people were unclothed.
Malaysian users also reacted to the incident, with some apologising on behalf of the women and explaining that traditional nude bathhouses are uncommon in Malaysia.
Others were less forgiving, arguing that visitors should still respect local rules and basic privacy regardless of cultural differences.
The Rakyat Post also reported that some Malaysians living in South Korea were frustrated by the incident, fearing that such cases could further worsen scrutiny faced by Malaysian travellers at immigration or in Korean society.
