"Please don't block the road"... The 'Slow Running' craze: The shouts of "Get out of the way" have disappeared, but [What do you think?]

[Financial News] As the running population grows and "slow running"—running slowly at a low intensity—spreads as a new exercise culture, concerns are being raised that controversies regarding pedestrian obstruction caused by group running may recur.

On the 31st of last month, a video of several people running slowly in a group was uploaded to X along with the caption, "Updates on a running crew that we will likely see often soon. It seems like slow running is the trend now."
The video features participants running in a group, accompanied by the phrase, "Start light, weight-loss slow running today."
Slow running is an exercise method that involves running at an intensity that can be maintained without strain, without setting a specific speed as a standard. It is gaining popularity because it allows beginners to easily get started by running at a speed where one can converse with the person next to them and focusing on consistency rather than records.
Recently, it is expanding beyond individual exercise into group activities. It is reported that posts recruiting people to run together are appearing one after another on social media under names such as 'Slow Running' and 'Slun'.
The running craze is also confirmed by statistics. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST)'s '2025 National Survey on Sports for All,' the percentage of people who cited 'running, jogging, and marathon' as their primary sport of participation rose from 4.8% in 2024 to 7.7% in 2025, increasing approximately 1.6 times in just one year. On the local lifestyle community platform Karrot, groups related to 'walking and running' also more than doubled as of the end of 2024 compared to the previous year.

The problem is that multiple people run side by side, occupying a wide area of the pedestrian walkway. The slower the speed, the longer they occupy the same section, making it difficult for pedestrians following behind to overtake and potentially forcing oncoming pedestrians to step aside.
Previously, Seocho-gu, Seoul, mandated that groups of five or more runners maintain a distance of at least 2 meters from each other starting in October 2024 at the Banpo Sports Complex. This measure was taken in response to a series of complaints that large running crews were occupying the track and shouting loudly. Last September, notices were also installed at Yeouido Park in Seoul asking people to refrain from "running in groups" and "shouting 'move aside'."
However, there is no law prohibiting the act of multiple people running together itself. Rules such as the 'limit of five or more people running' are usage rules set by individual sports fields or parks.
If a person intentionally blocks a road and continues to obstruct passage despite being stopped, they may be subject to a fine of up to 100,000 won or detention or a penalty under the Punishment of Minor Offenses Act. If passage becomes impossible or significantly difficult, the application of the crime of obstructing general traffic under the Criminal Act may also be considered. If a person collides with a pedestrian and causes injury while running, they may be subject to a fine of up to 5 million won for negligent injury and may also be held liable for compensation under the Civil Act.
Netizens who watched the video commented, "Why are they running with their arms like that?", "I don't care how they run, but please don't block the road," and "I wish they wouldn't run side by side like a running crew."

[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter