Tea Museum on Jeju Island Accused of Discrimination Against Foreigners
I don’t think this is discrimination because foreigners can attend the museum’s special programs if someone is willing to translate without interfering with the class. It seems like this is much to do about nothing:
A tea museum operated by South Korean cosmetics giant Amorepacific is found to have a rather controversial policy: It says no foreigners are allowed in its guided tours or tea classes because no interpretation services are provided.
Even if the foreigner is OK with not having an interpreter or has a native Korean speaker to help, the museum is apparently reluctant to accept the guest, warning, “The translation (by another guest) may be restricted if it disturbs other participants of the program.”
The museum in question – Osulloc Tea Museum – is one of Jeju Island’s most popular tourist spots.
Opened in September 2001 and located near the scenic Seokwang tea fields in Seogwipo, it is the first tea museum in Korea designed to introduce and promote the nation’s traditional tea culture. As of 2020, more than 15 million people have visited the venue, it says, with some 20-30 percent of those being foreign visitors.
Korea Herald
You can read more at the link.
I was walking around Camp Casey one late night in a more run-down area and I too was prevented from partaking in the services of what appeared to be a tiny tea museum. Da-bang… I think it was called.
This secrets of the Team Museum complaint reminded me of a conversation between two officers at Burpleson AFB back in 1964…
Mandrake and Ripper