On the morning of November 2, Mr. Oh, a resident of Majang-dong in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, set out with his wife to shop at Gyeongdong Market in Dongdaemun. What was normally a 10-minute drive turned into a 90-minute ordeal. The reason was a citywide marathon.

That day, a media company hosted a marathon that started at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, ran through downtown, and ended at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu. With major roads closed for the event, many citizens, including Oh, expressed frustration over the disruption. “Cars trying to detour through narrow side streets got stuck, and the whole route to the market was a mess,” he said. “Navigation apps didn’t reflect the road closures, and the volunteer traffic guides weren’t police officers, so they couldn’t give proper directions.” He added that “drivers even got into minor accidents and arguments while trying to detour,” saying the situation “has gotten out of hand compared to previous years.”

Amid the nationwide running boom, marathon events are increasing rapidly, and so are complaints from citizens. According to data submitted by lawmaker Park Jeong-ha of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) to the National Police Agency, 254 marathons were held across Korea last year with a combined participation of over 1 million people. The number has surged more than thirteenfold in just four years, from 19 events in 2020 to 205 in 2023. Residents living or working near marathon routes often face traffic restrictions and access issues during events. On November 2 and 9, when multiple marathons took place across Seoul, online community boards were flooded with posts such as “I waited forever for the bus because of the marathon” and “Noise and trash hurt business.”

In April, merchants at the Mapo Agricultural and Marine Products Market even held a protest against repeated disruptions, saying that “frequent traffic control due to marathons severely hurts business.” They demonstrated in front of the marathon course organized by a media outlet.

Most marathons are hosted by media organizations or sports companies as profit-making events. Organizers typically collect entry fees of around 70,000 to 80,000 won per person and corporate sponsorships. While some proceeds are used for charity, most of the revenue goes to the hosts.

Over the past three years, a total of 36,212 police officers have been deployed to manage traffic for 807 marathons, with no costs charged to the event organizers. A police official explained, “Police provide traffic control as a public service. We don’t receive any compensation from the organizers.”

Amid growing frustration, some are calling for a coordinated approach to adjust the number and frequency of marathons through consultation with citizens and local communities.

“The sheer number of marathons has diluted their uniqueness and lowered their overall value,” said Park Seong-bae, a professor of sports industry at Hanyang University. “Most are privately organized, but they rely heavily on administrative support and public resources. It’s necessary to impose limits, considering priorities, symbolism, and local economic impact.” He added, “We need public discussion and consensus on what constitutes a reasonable number of marathons. Authorities should also screen whether any single company is hosting events too frequently and whether the use of public facilities is being properly approved.”