A year after streamer crackdown, Bucheon's chaos eased but not gone

Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, has seen disruptive livestreaming near Bucheon Station decline since the city began a crackdown in September 2025, though streamers still gather there. The city used environmental design measures, including removing seating, and increased patrols in areas where streamers congregated. Residents and merchants say the area is calmer than at last year’s peak but want the city to continue its efforts. Streamer Yoon said creators gather there because appearing on one another’s broadcasts helps them gain exposure.

Complaints about disruptive streaming near Bucheon Station fell 71.4 percent, from 77 in the second half of last year to 22 in the first half of this year.

The city announced its crackdown in September 2025, citing harm to its brand image, merchants and residents.

The city removed seating in parks and streets where streamers gathered and stepped up patrols.

A YouTuber in her 30s was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after stabbing a man in his 30s during a livestream.

Yoon said he rents a room in Bucheon for two to three months at a time because streaming there gives him exposure.

Published Nov 3, 2026 7:00 am KST

Content creators say promotional effect draws them to area, residents live with disruption

A banner put up by the city government reads, “Illegal YouTubers out. Stop threatening citizens’ safety and merchants’ livelihoods,” in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Park Ung

BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province — Park Hye-ran, 47, a mother of a 6-year-old son, often finds it unsettling to walk around her neighborhood in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, a city known for its many online streaming creators airing outlandish broadcasts.

“I’m worried about being filmed, and the broadcasting makes me uncomfortable. As early as the afternoon, many people are streaming around the food alley near Bucheon Station,” Park said, adding that it can’t be good for children to see.

Last year, Bucheon made headlines for streamers who vied for viewer donations with attention-grabbing stunts such as dancing shirtless, singing loudly in public and mocking police officers called to the scene. Things turned violent when a YouTuber in her 30s was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after stabbing a man in his 30s with a weapon during his livestream.

In response, the city announced a crackdown on streamers in September 2025, citing broadcasts that seriously damaged its brand image and harmed merchants and residents. It applied crime prevention strategies using environmental design techniques in the parks and streets where streamers often gathered, removing seating to keep them from lingering and stepping up patrols.

Bollards line a sidewalk to discourage loitering and sitting on the streets in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. A banner beside them says the area is under monitoring and urges people to report disruptive livestreaming to police by calling 112. Korea Times photo by Park Ung

Last month, the city said disruptive streaming near Bucheon Station has declined. Related complaints filed through the government’s online petition portal fell 71.4 percent, from 77 in the second half of last year to 22 in the first half of this year.

On Wednesday, streamers were still broadcasting around Bucheon Station from early morning, alone or in groups of two or three. Residents said things have calmed down considerably since last year’s peak, though some streamers still frequent the area.

“The number dropped a lot when the city ran a campaign and the media covered it heavily last year. At its worst, it was definitely noisy, with people drinking and broadcasting here. The shouting was unpleasant, too,” said Kim Myung-seop, 39, who has run a butcher shop near the station for 10 years.

Kim added that there used to be a few such streamers, but the problem worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic ended.

A streamer causes a disturbance at a convenience store while shirtless in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Captured from the YouTube channel Bucheon Inbang

Park Hyo-jong, 63, who has run a fruit stand near the station for two years, said streamers thinned out after senior volunteers began patrolling the area to drive out malicious YouTubers.

“At the height of it, those guys were lawless. Many weren’t sober and cursed as they streamed,” Park said. “No matter how good the money is, you shouldn’t stream like that.”

Yoon, 36, a streamer who was broadcasting near Bucheon Station and asked to be identified only by his surname, said streamers gather in the area for exposure.

“I stream in Bucheon because there are many other streamers here, so we can create synergy. The promotional effect is huge,” Yoon said. “At first nobody watches your streams, but if you show up on other streamers’ cameras, that promotes you. That’s why more of us gather to help make ourselves known.”

Yoon, who lives in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, said he rents a room in Bucheon for two to three months at a time because broadcasting there gets him so much exposure.

With streamers still drawn to the area, many residents hope the city will maintain its policy to bring their numbers down even further.

Ko, in her 60s, who has cleaned Bucheon Station for 11 years, said the streamers’ broadcasts make her anxious.

“I wouldn’t mind if they just streamed quietly and left. But they go to places like the plaza and run wild in strange outfits, and that’s what we didn’t like,” Ko said. “When people walk around carrying things and making loud noises, it’s intimidating, and I worry they might do harm.”

自2025年9月京畿道富川市开始整治直播以来，富川站附近的直播扰民现象有所减少，但仍有主播聚集于此。市政府采取了环境设计措施，包括移除座椅，并加强了主播聚集区域的巡逻。居民和商家表示，该地区比去年高峰期平静了许多，但他们希望市政府继续努力。主播尹先生表示，主播们聚集于此是因为在彼此的直播中露面有助于提升曝光度。

去年下半年，富川站附近有关扰民直播的投诉数量为 77 起，而今年上半年则为 22 起，降幅达 71.4%。

该市于 2025 年 9 月宣布采取打击行动，理由是损害了其品牌形象、商户和居民的利益。

市政府移除了公园和街道上聚集彩带的座椅，并加强了巡逻。

一名30多岁的YouTube女主播在直播中刺伤一名30多岁的男子，因涉嫌谋杀未遂被捕。

尹表示，他会在富川租房，一次租两到三个月，因为在那里进行直播可以提高他的曝光度。

发布于2026年11月3日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

内容创作者表示，宣传效果吸引他们来到该地区，居民则不得不忍受干扰。

周三，京畿道富川市政府挂出横幅，上面写着：“非法YouTube用户滚出。停止威胁市民安全和商家生计。” （韩国时报 朴雄摄）

京畿道富川市——47岁的朴惠兰是一位6岁男孩的母亲，她经常觉得在京畿道富川市的街区里散步令人不安。富川市以众多在线直播创作者播出古怪的节目而闻名。

“我担心被拍摄，而且直播让我感到不自在。早在下午，富川站附近的美食街就有很多游客聚集，”朴女士说，并补充道，这对孩子们来说并不好。

去年，富川市因一些主播为了博取观众打赏而做出一些引人注目的举动而登上新闻头条，例如赤膊跳舞、在公共场合大声唱歌以及嘲讽被叫到现场的警察。事态发展到暴力层面，一名30多岁的女主播在直播中用武器刺伤了一名30多岁的男子，随后因涉嫌谋杀未遂被捕。

对此，该市于2025年9月宣布严厉打击网络直播，理由是直播严重损害了其品牌形象，并对商家和居民造成了损失。该市在网络直播者经常聚集的公园和街道采取了环境设计方面的犯罪预防策略，移除了座椅以防止他们长时间停留，并加强了巡逻。

周三，在京畿道富川市，人行道旁竖起了路障，以防止人们闲逛和坐在街上。路障旁的横幅显示，该区域正处于监控之下，并敦促人们拨打112向警方举报扰乱秩序的直播行为。（韩国时报 朴雄摄）

上个月，首尔市政府表示，富川站附近的扰民直播事件有所减少。通过政府网上请愿平台提交的相关投诉数量下降了71.4%，从去年下半年的77起降至今年上半年的22起。

周三，从清晨开始，仍有主播在富川站附近直播，他们或独自一人，或两三人结伴而行。居民表示，虽然仍有一些主播经常出没于此，但情况相比去年的高峰期已经明显好转。

“去年市政府开展宣传活动，媒体也进行了大量报道，之后人数大幅下降。情况最严重的时候，这里确实很吵闹，有人喝酒、放歌，大声喧哗也很令人不快。”39岁的金明燮（音译）说道，他在车站附近经营一家肉铺已有10年。

金补充说，以前这类主播还比较少，但新冠疫情结束后，这个问题变得更加严重了。

一名主播在京畿道富川市一家便利店赤膊上阵，引发骚乱。视频来自YouTube频道“富川人房”。

63岁的朴孝钟（音译）在车站附近经营水果摊已有两年，他说，自从一些资深志愿者开始在该地区巡逻，驱逐恶意YouTube用户后，直播者就减少了。

“鼎盛时期，那些人简直无法无天。很多人直播时都喝得酩酊大醉，还满口脏话，”帕克说。“不管收入多高，都不应该那样直播。”

36岁的尹（音译）是一名主播，当时正在富川站附近直播。他要求只透露自己的姓氏。他说，主播们聚集在这个地区是为了提高曝光率。

“我选择在富川直播是因为这里有很多其他主播，我们可以互相配合，形成协同效应。这种宣传效果非常显著，”尹主播说道。“一开始可能没人看你的直播，但如果你出现在其他主播的镜头里，就能帮你提升知名度。所以我们才会聚集在这里，互相推广。”

居住在京畿道金浦市的尹先生表示，他在富川市租房住两到三个月，因为在那里进行广播节目能让他获得很多曝光机会。

由于仍有大量外来者涌入该地区，许多居民希望市政府能够继续推行相关政策，进一步减少外来者的数量。

在富川站工作了 11 年、现年 60 多岁的 Ko 表示，主播的直播让她感到焦虑。

“如果他们只是安静地观看演出然后离开，我倒不介意。但他们跑到广场之类的地方，穿着奇装异服到处乱跑，这才是我们不喜欢的地方，”柯女士说。“当人们拿着东西四处走动，发出很大的噪音时，这很吓人，我担心他们会做出伤害别人的事。”