“Can’t Handle the Popularity” — Police Even Called In as Namdaemun’s “Scarf Man” Closes Shop Again

[Financial News] The so-called “Namdaemun Scarf Man,” who became wildly popular on social media (SNS) for his distinctive way of dissuading customers from buying with remarks like “Don’t overspend,” closed his shop again just one day after reopening. After huge crowds poured into a narrow market alley, causing a commotion that brought in even the police, A decided to suspend business again over concerns about safety incidents.
According to the YouTube channel “Namdaemun Dadaguri” on the 6th, merchant A, who runs a scarf shop at Namdaemun Market in Seoul’s Jung District, posted an announcement on the community page that day titled, “We’ll close for one day today (November 5) for a safety inspection.”
In the announcement, A explained the closure, saying, “So many people gathered yesterday that even police officers were dispatched, and I became very concerned about safety,” and, “I’ll take today off to inspect and manage safety at the site. I hope no one makes a wasted trip.”
Earlier, on the 31st of last month, A temporarily closed the shop for four days, considering the impact on nearby merchants and safety concerns after the crowds grew too large to handle. A later announced a return by posting a short video on SNS on the 4th saying, “On my way to work,” but the scene descended into chaos on the very first day back.
Videos of the scene posted on SNS showed a tightly packed crowd of around 100 people in front of A’s shop. Visitors held their phones up to film A, and the crowd spilled as far as nearby storefronts as the narrow passageway became blocked.

A came outside and gestured as they appealed to the crowd to keep order. After a nearby merchant protested, “Don’t block the front of someone else’s shop,” police patrol officers were brought in as well. That night, A also revealed their extreme emotional strain in a brief SNS post: “Do I have to keep doing this?”
A, who sells scarves at the remarkable price of six for 10,000 won, drew attention with a counterintuitive sales pitch that made customers close their wallets rather than buy. Videos of jokes delivered in a seemingly curt but playful way—such as “You’re overspending right now; even if you buy it, you won’t use it when you get home,” and “Mom, just look. It doesn’t suit you, so don’t buy it”—spread across short-form platforms and made A famous nationwide.
But as A’s fame grew, it had the unintended effect of threatening not only the shop’s original business but also safety at the traditional market. Large numbers of onlookers came not to buy scarves but to take “proof shots” and film for YouTube, paralyzing traffic in the area and making the crowds impossible to control.

A had previously urged people, saying, “I want to make money too, but this isn’t right. I can’t handle or control crowds of this size,” and, “I’m not going anywhere—I’m always at the market, so please don’t go out of your way to find me. Just drop by whenever you feel comfortable.”
Meanwhile, to prevent safety incidents, A plans to continue operating according to conditions at the site without announcing specific opening and closing times for the time being.


[email protected] Moon Young-jin Reporter