Gucci after-party draws criticism for late-night noise

Gucci's after-party for the 2024 Cruise Collection Fashion Show is seen from the Seoul Economic Daily's building in Jongno, central Seoul on Tuesday night. (Seoul Economic Daily)

Luxury brand Gucci is facing a backlash over a loud party held late into the night after the brand's fashion show Tuesday at Seoul's Gyeongbokgung.

Residents of the area near the party's venue in central Seoul claim that the party generated excessive noise and light pollution late into the night, and more than 50 complaints were filed with the police.

Gucci held the party after the 2024 Cruise Collection Fashion Show at Seoul’s Joseon-era main palace, Gyeongbokgung. The after-party also drew interest from the public as many stars and celebrities from overseas as well as from South Korea were invited.

The party was held at a building with an open layout and a glass facade in Jongno, near hotels and residential areas.

Civil complaints surged as lights of diverse colors flashed and loud music echoed from the party venue.

From 9:29 p.m. to midnight, 52 complaints were submitted to the police about noise and light pollution and nine police vehicles were dispatched to the venue, Jongno Police Station Official Park Tae-won said to local media on Wednesday.

Multiple posts on social media and online forums also complained about how the party created a public disturbance.

Video footage uploaded by Twitter users at nearly midnight shows views of the party venue from afar, and the lights and sound from the party still interfere from a distance.

The police, which initially warned the party to refrain from disturbing others at 9 p.m., fined the party on Tuesday as the organizers did not rectify the situation, leading to another dispatch of the police at 11 p.m., the police said.

By Lim Jae-seong(forestjs@heraldcorp.com)