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| A photo on the left shows that the women's shower booth of a sauna on the second floor of the Grand Josun Jeju is visible from a restaurant on the first floor, while the right photo shows the view from the women's bathroom. Captured from Nate web portal |
By Jun Ji-hye
The Grand Josun Jeju, a five-star hotel on the southern resort island of Jeju, has been embroiled in controversy after a guest brought up a complaint that the inside of its sauna, including the shower booths, could be seen from outside.
Local police said Wednesday that they received the complaint, Feb. 13, and said they have been checking closed-circuit television footage.
The hotel, located in Jungmun Tourist Complex on Jeju Island, opened on Jan. 8.
The incident caught the public's attention Monday after a man wrote in an online thread that he and his wife, who stayed at a suite in the hotel for their honeymoon, discovered that the sauna facilities, located on the second floor were not as private as they had believed.
This contrasted with the hotel's earlier explanation that it covered the windows with mirror film so guests could enjoy the outside view while comfortably using the sauna during the day. The hotel also said it pulled down blinds at night, according to the guest.
"While taking a walk around the hotel on the last day of our stay, we discovered the interior was visible from the outside. We could even see the writing on a thermometer inside the sauna," the man wrote. "There were a number of other guests using the facilities including minors."
When the couple complained, the hotel explained its staff had not pulled down the blinds "by mistake," which the man called a "spurious excuse."
The man noted that the hotel's earlier explanation that it covered the windows with mirror film also turned out to be untrue, as the couple discovered no such film on the windows of the shower booths and bathrooms.
"My wife and I are currently undergoing psychotherapy as we were so shocked after realizing that we had taken a shower and used the bathroom that was visible from the outside," the man wrote.
The man added that the hotel refused to notify other guests about the incident and even called police to accuse the couple of obstructing business.
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| A computer-generated image of the Grand Josun Jeju / Courtesy of Josun Hotels & Resorts |
But after controversy mounted, the hotel acknowledged its "mistakes during operation."
"We have so far used the blinds flexibly in accordance with the time and weather, but (following the incident) we changed our policy to pull down the blinds at all times," an official from Josun Hotels & Resorts said, Tuesday.
The official added that its investigation, in cooperation with the police, has yet to find any damage caused.
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