Do you take street flyers in Korea? Celebrities share clashing views
Joo Woo-jae, left, and DinDin / Xportsnews
Street flyers are a familiar part of everyday life in Korea.
Whether it is a restaurant coupon, political leaflet or religious message, people frequently encounter individuals handing out printed slips on busy sidewalks. For some, taking one is a simple courtesy; for others, it feels like unnecessary waste. That divide has now become the subject of debate after celebrities shared contrasting opinions.
On Tuesday, model and broadcaster Joo Woo-jae uploaded a video to his YouTube channel where he addressed subscribers’ everyday dilemmas. One viewer asked, “Should I accept flyers handed out in the street?” explaining that they usually decline, partly to avoid wasting paper. The viewer added that many flyers contain religious content, which led them to stop taking them, but a friend had argued, “Once we accept them, their work is done, so we should take them.”
Joo Woo-jae / Captured from Joo's YouTube channel
Joo responded by saying he dislikes being bound by rules outside of legal obligations. “As long as you are not harming others, you should act according to your own judgment,” he said. He added that his decision depends on the distributor’s attitude: “If someone shoves it at me in a rude way, I just say ‘sorry’ and pass by. But if they seem to be trying not to disturb others, I sometimes take one.”
He concluded, “Taking a flyer or refusing one is a matter of personal freedom. Not accepting it should not be something you are criticized for.”
DinDin / Xportsnews
The topic has surfaced before on Korean variety shows. In a broadcast featuring writer Yoo Si-min, announcer Oh Sang-jin, entertainer Hong Jin-kyung and rapper DinDin, the cast shared their thoughts on street handouts.
Oh recalled distributing flyers to protest the passing of a broadcasting law, saying the experience changed his perspective. “Since then, I accept two or three flyers whenever I see them. I realized how important it is to acknowledge that every action has a reason and to empathize with it.”
DinDin, however, took a harder line. “When I see someone coldly reject a flyer while walking with their girlfriend, I think it shows something about their character,” he said. “That’s why I wouldn’t get along with someone like that.”
The contrasting views — from Joo’s emphasis on personal choice to DinDin’s belief that refusal reveals character — reflect how something as small as a slip of paper can touch on broader questions of courtesy, waste and social perceptions in Korea.
This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.