Seoul’s running boom sparks rising frustration over near-weekly marathon disruptions


Online communities have begun tracking upcoming races so residents can avoid blocked areas. -- PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PEXELS via The Straits Times/Asia News Network

SEOUL (The Korea Herald/ANN): As running becomes one of South Korea’s fastest-growing pastimes, Seoul is facing a new challenge: A marathon calendar packed so tightly that major roads are blocked almost every weekend, prompting widespread complaints that the city’s fitness fever is pushing everyday life off course.

Streets in central districts, from Gwanghwamun and Jongno to the Han River bridges, have been repeatedly shut down for early morning events that funnel tens of thousands of runners through corridors with the heaviest traffic.

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