Namdaemun Scarf Seller: ‘He’s the Hottest Thing Right Now’
A scarf seller at Seoul's Namdaemun market has drawn queues of more than an hour, private security and police by talking customers out of buying. Six scarves cost 10,000 won, about $6.80. Neighboring traders are split on whether the crowds help or hurt.
A scarf seller at Namdaemun market in Seoul has become a South Korean sensation by talking customers out of buying, and shoppers now queue for more than an hour to reach his stall. "He's really famous. He's the hottest thing right now," said Lee Mi-hwa, who traveled from Yongin after seeing him on YouTube.
By mid-morning the main alley is ringed by private security guards and police. The queue is penned behind a cordon, and people hold numbered tickets. Most of those waiting are middle-aged women.
A sales pitch that discourages buying
The stall sells six scarves for 10,000 won (about $6.80), roughly $1.15 each. The salesman goes by "scarf ajeossi" or "scarf uncle". He does not publicize his real name.
His line to customers: "Don't spend your money. It doesn't suit you." He also tells shoppers "nothing worth seeing here" and urges them to "dig underneath" the pile.
Fans have added another nickname, "Scarfrio", a mashup of scarf and Leonardo DiCaprio. It nods to his looks and easy charm. "He's so handsome," said a woman in the queue.
Crowds, closures and guards
He dresses in market trader's layers for the autumn cold and poses for selfies. Clips of him have racked up millions of views online. He has since opened Instagram and YouTube accounts.
The crowds have forced him to shut several times, and police have escorted fans out of the alley. In early November, private security was hired to manage the hordes. He has stopped announcing his opening hours.
Lee Ji-hyun joined the queue at 10am and reached the front at 11.20am. "I finally got some," she said, holding up her purchase. "A man like that deserves to do well, so I came to cheer him on, and I ended up buying." The packaging says the scarves were made in China.
Neighbors divided
Namdaemun is South Korea's oldest and largest traditional market. It is a warren of alleys beside the old south gate and has long been synonymous with the hard sell.
Not everyone is amused. A shoe seller who gave his name only as Moon, and who has worked at the market for more than 30 years, said the passage beside his shop gets blocked. "Business is bad," he said.
Young people come to film the scarf seller and see his face, Moon said. "This is pulling a lot of people in. But there's no spending." He said the wider market is fine, and the damage falls on nearby shops.
Bae Jong-min, who sells scarves next to the stall, was more upbeat. He pointed to the restaurants, coffee shops and food stalls that benefit from the footfall. "There are a lot of people coming to the market, so for the market as a whole it's a good thing," he said. "But I do worry about crowding issues."
