A recent resurgence of coronavirus infections has kept people from chilling out with coffee at large franchise cafes, as the government tightened its social distancing measures for Greater Seoul starting Sunday.

The Gwanghwamun area, located in the heart of Seoul and densely packed with coffeehouse chains like Starbucks, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, A Twosome Place, Hollys Coffee, Ediya Coffee and Paul Bassett, had a quiet Sunday morning as businesses embraced a totally different way of welcoming customers.

Chairs were on top of tables in the corner of a Starbucks store in Gwanghwamun, where a notice affixed to the door read, “All stores in the Seoul metropolitan area can serve takeout only, in accordance with the government’s policy.”

Cafe staff members scanned QR codes on customers’ cellphones through the country’s largest portal site, Naver, or its biggest mobile messaging app, KakaoTalk, and took each person’s temperature. Only customers within the normal body temperature range could stand in line to order -- and only after using hand sanitizer.

Seating areas upstairs were roped off to prevent customers from entering. Bathrooms were off limits.

As the number of confirmed cases and hospitalizations began skyrocketing in Seoul and the surrounding areas, the government elevated its social distancing precautions from Level 2 to a de facto “Level 2.5,” aiming to minimize person-to-person contact.

As of Sunday, 68 COVID-19 cases tied to a Starbucks store in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, had been confirmed. An air conditioner and some customers’ improper wearing of masks have been blamed for the virus transmissions.

Under the new rules, chain coffee shops can only serve food and drinks via takeout or delivery. Restaurants, bakeries, bars and pubs are allowed to operate until 9 p.m., but afterward may only offer takeout and delivery.

Indoor fitness centers, swimming pools, golf driving ranges, bowling alleys and Pilates studios must stay closed.

As large cafes no longer offered space to sit and talk, people moved to smaller cafes and brunch spots, which are not subject to the takeout-only rule as they are not owned by corporate chains.

Oh Yae-rin, 23, who visited a small brunch cafe in an alley in Jongno’s Seochon, said she and her friend had done an internet search to find a quiet, less populated spot.

“This is my first time catching up with a friend this week. We had to pay extra attention to pick the right place,” she said.

A mother surnamed Jung and her two sons were having burgers on a bench a few meters from the Burger King where they had bought the meal.

“My sons wanted to go out, but I didn’t have much of a choice about where to go so we decided to have burgers. Instead of sitting inside the store, we opted for outside as it feels safer than eating with others in a limited space,” Jung said, adding that she planned to go straight home after eating.

Several smaller, privately owned cafes and bars in Gwanghwamun had signs on their doors indicating that they were closing for a week as they couldn’t turn a profit while following the strengthened rules.

Keeping with the social distancing rule of 2 meters and closing shops that serve alcoholic beverages at 9 p.m. were a nonstarter for small pub owners.

“From Level 2, people start to stop their nights out. When mass infections were detected from a Gwanghwamun rally earlier this month, the number of people on the street declined further. When it comes to Level 2.5, it’s better to close the shop than open it,” said Kim Taik-whan, 38, who runs a small pub in Gwanghwamun.



(hnpark@heraldcorp.com)