An AI-generated image for illustrative purposes. Not directly related to the article. [AI-generated image]
An AI-generated image for illustrative purposes. Not directly related to the article. [AI-generated image]

Photos appearing to show a couple blocking a lane inside Seoul's Namsan Tunnel No. 3 for a wedding shoot have stirred controversy online.

Posts claiming to show the incident spread across social media and online communities Tuesday, with users saying they had spotted a couple conducting a wedding shoot inside the tunnel.

The original poster, identified only as A, wrote that on Tuesday morning they had "captured a crazy engaged couple blocking one lane of Namsan Tunnel No. 3 for a wedding shoot."

A added: "I thought there had been an accident because traffic cones were set up, but it turned out they had parked a vehicle there for the shoot."

In the photos, a white vehicle is stopped in the outer lane of the two-lane tunnel, with traffic cones placed behind it to deter approaching cars. A woman in a simple white dress and a man in a black suit can be seen standing against the tunnel wall.

A suggested the couple did not appear to have obtained a road-use permit and raised the possibility of violations under the Road Act and the Road Traffic Act.

"If someone occupies a road and blocks a lane with filming equipment or personnel without official permission from the relevant local government or police, they can face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($14,600) under Article 114," A wrote.

A also cited Article 68 of the Road Traffic Act, which prohibits certain activities on roads, and Article 32, which covers illegal stopping, adding that the couple could be subject to fines or penalty surcharges.

Commenters reacted with alarm and disbelief. "There are plenty of empty tunnels not in use — have they lost their minds?" one wrote. Others said, "If a large vehicle had come along, they could have been killed instantly," and "Did they really think a tunnel was a good backdrop for photos?" Some wondered whether it had actually been a real accident.


jshan@heraldcorp.com