A relaxing trip to a jjimjilbang can end with bed bugs coming home in your suitcase. According to Seoul Economic Daily (English edition, 28 September 2026), insect YouTuber Daheuk filmed bed bug eggs, nymphs and adults under mattresses and in wall gaps at a jjimjilbang in Busan — after a visitor had already reported finding bed bugs at home following a visit.
What the video showed: visible in daylight, walls covered in black stains
Daheuk’s footage
- Who filmed it: Daheuk, a YouTuber who covers insects, reported by The Korea Times to have 1.07 million subscribers. The video was released on 26 September 2026.
- What he checked: mattresses, wall gaps and rest areas. Daheuk said he found what appeared to be eggs, nymphs and adults clustered together.
- How bad it was: bed bugs are nocturnal and hard to spot in daytime; Daheuk said they were easy to find that early evening with the lights on, which surprised him. The walls also had large numbers of black stains, which he presumed were bed bug droppings: “I have been to many habitats, but this is the first time in my life I have seen this much bed bug excrement.”
- How far it went: The Korea Times, quoting the video, says most bed bugs Daheuk collected from mattresses and mats were engorged after feeding on human blood, with another cluster in a wall crevice; he described eggs through adults gathered as “a large family” that feed on humans before retreating into gaps.
- The facility’s name: the video did not disclose the sauna’s name or exact address.
How a visitor carried them home: visited 30 August, found them at home 7 September
- A social media user said they visited the sauna during a trip to Busan on 30 August 2026 and found bed bugs at home on 7 September, presuming the insects had travelled attached to a small suitcase: “I have traveled abroad so much and never seen a bed bug, but I brought them home after a trip to Busan.”
- A family member who went with them also claimed to have found an insect resembling a cockroach on a towel at the time and asked for a replacement. The matter was later reported to the local district office.
- Daheuk warned that bed bugs can attach to clothing or bags and move to other locations, and that their range can expand if left unaddressed. He said he isolated the clothing he wore during the inspection to avoid bringing the pests home.
How the sauna responded: says it recently disinfected, will bring in professionals
- The sauna said it had carried out disinfection recently and indicated it would take additional measures through a professional pest control company.
- Daheuk advised thorough extermination even if that meant suspending operations for several days.
- According to The Korea Times, Daheuk said at the end of the video that he had filed a complaint about the business with local authorities and would decide whether to publicly name the facility depending on the official response; he stressed that a single pesticide treatment cannot resolve an infestation and urged the use of a professional pest control service.
What the KDCA says: no disease transmission, but watch for secondary infection
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on 28 September:
- Not a disease vector: bed bugs do not transmit infectious diseases and are therefore not included among pests managed under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. They do, however, feed on human blood, disrupting sleep and potentially causing itching or secondary skin infections.
- When symptoms appear: the time for symptoms to appear after a bite varies from person to person and can take up to about 10 days. Those who suspect they have been bitten should wash the affected area with soap and water, and consult a doctor or pharmacist about treatment or medication.
- Do not scratch: medical advice quoted by The Korea Times says bitten people should not scratch, to prevent secondary bacterial infections; if itching becomes severe, patients should take prescribed oral antihistamines or apply topical corticosteroid ointments, and seek prescription antibiotics if inflammation develops.
KDCA: what to do when bed bugs are found — recheck after 7 to 14 days
The KDCA says removing only the visible insects is not enough; physical and chemical control should be carried out together, centred on the spots where bed bugs were confirmed:
- Check first: crevices in mattresses, bed frames, sofas, bookshelves and bedding. Even if no bed bugs are visible, places with traces such as droppings or a musty, mould-like odour are worth checking.
- Physical methods: apply high-temperature steam to infested areas, or vacuum contaminated spots; material collected by the vacuum should be sealed in a bag and discarded, while clothing, curtains and bed covers should be disinfected in a dryer.
- Chemical methods: only insecticides approved by the Ministry of Environment should be used. They should not be applied to surfaces that come into direct contact with skin, such as mattresses, and caution is needed with thermal fogging or fumigation, which can drive bed bugs to other locations.
- Do not stop after one round: taking into account the possibility that eggs may hatch later, the agency recommends checking around the infested area again after seven to 14 days. Contaminated mattresses or furniture must also be treated before disposal to keep bed bugs from spreading elsewhere.
Why Hong Kong travellers should pay attention
- Busan + jjimjilbang is a popular Hong Kong itinerary: jjimjilbang rest areas with shared sleeping floors, shared mattresses and towels are exactly the kind of environment where bed bugs hide and transfer most easily.
- The suitcase is the number-one carrier: this case is suspected to have travelled home via a small suitcase. Before returning to the hotel or home, check suitcase gaps and clothing pockets, and do not place luggage directly on the bed.
- Isolate and check when you get home: travel advice quoted by The Korea Times says clothing suspected of exposure can be sealed in plastic bags for more than a week for monitoring, and fabrics can be washed in very hot water and put in a clothes dryer on a high-heat setting for about 30 minutes to kill bed bugs and nymphs.
- Know how to check before staying: travellers are advised to check in advance whether accommodation uses a professional pest control service; on arrival, turn off the lights and shine a flashlight on mattress corners and bed-frame gaps — dark specks on mattresses or bedding may be droppings, bloodstains or egg traces. If bed bugs are found, request a room change or change hotels immediately.
Before you travel, read the Travel Hotel Bed Bug Checklist. If you do bring bed bugs home, the DIY Bed Bug Removal Guide has the full process; to understand why bed bugs are getting harder to kill, see Super Bed Bug Insecticide Resistance.
Sources
- Seoul Economic Daily, English edition (28 Sep 2026) — https://en.sedaily.com/culture/2026/09/28/bed-bugs-found-under-mattresses-at-busan-sauna-video-shows
- The Korea Times (30 Sep 2026, via Kormedi) — https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/health/20260930/busan-bedbug-infestation-sparks-health-fears-at-korean-bathhouse
(Written 18 Oct 2026; compiled from public reporting. The sauna’s name and address were not disclosed; video content as quoted in reporting.)