'Beauty Taxi' discontinues makeup service due to safety concerns

This photo posted on an online community in South Korea shows the inside of the "Beauty Taxi."

A South Korean taxi driver who provided cosmetics supplies for passengers has been instructed not to do so anymore, after complaints that some of the items could present safety concerns.

Kakao Mobility, the operator of the Kakao T taxi service, said Tuesday that it has ordered driver Ahn Seon-woo to remove all the makeup equipment from inside his vehicle. The 62-year-old driver based in Daejeon had been providing the services on his own initiative, gaining media attention and earning the nickname "Beauty Taxi."

"There have been multiple complaints from passengers that the curling iron inside the Beauty Taxi looks dangerous. ... In a December inspection, we requested (Ahn) to address this issue, given that the curling iron and other items may pose risks for passengers' safety," an official of Kakao Mobility said.

Ahn, who had worked for a local travel agency for over 20 years before retiring and becoming a taxi driver, started offering cosmetics items in his vehicle in September 2022. He got the idea from his daughter, who said she felt uncomfortable putting on makeup in a cab.

The Beauty Taxi garnered many positive response from passengers, leading the company to bestow "crew of the month" honors upon the driver last year. The peculiar service also got media coverage and the attention of those on social media platforms.

Kakao Mobility denied earlier reports that Ahn had been instructed to remove the makeup items due to "excessive service." The company said it notified Ahn of the elements in his service that may be in violation of the law or its terms, such as putting the "Beauty Taxi" sticker on the car without its authorization and issuing coupons to customers on his own.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)