Chinese social media posts share tips on getting hot water and eating instant cup noodles at the nursery at Incheon International Airport [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Chinese tourists are reporting turning baby nurseries at Incheon International Airport into makeshift spots for cooking and slurping cup
ramyeon
(instant noodles), much to the chagrin of traveling mothers and some internet users.
Multiple reviews sharing tales of eating cup ramyeon in the airport’s nursing rooms have been uploaded on Chinese social media platforms, such as Xiaohongshu, as of Monday.
One user even posted detailed directions to the nursery, adding that they had little choice but to use the space because airport convenience stores do not provide hot water.
Another tourist said airport staff caught them pouring hot water for instant ramyeon inside the nursery and kicked them out.
“I explained that I was only getting hot water and planned to eat outside because I was in a hurry,” the person said. “I knew food wasn’t allowed inside the nursery, but I never thought they would stop people from even taking hot water.”
The airport’s nursery is for infants and their guardians. A notice posted at the facility reads: “Only children under 3, pregnant women and one accompanying guardian may use the room. Sleeping and eating are prohibited.”
But as the spaces are increasingly occupied for purposes unrelated to child care, concerns are growing that travelers who genuinely need the nursing rooms could face greater inconvenience.
An image of the nursery at Incheon International Airport [INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT]
Some female air travelers have also shared their frustration online.
“I went into a nursing room at Incheon [International] Airport to prepare formula for my baby and saw a Chinese woman filling up a cup noodle container with hot water,” one user wrote.
“I even saw foreigners sleeping in the nursing room when I went in to change my baby’s diaper and was shocked,” another user wrote.
“During the 20 minutes I spent feeding my baby, four or five people came in just to get hot water for cup noodles,” another social media user wrote, adding that “noodle broth splashed all over the water dispenser.”
The controversy has sparked online criticism, with internet users calling for tighter controls.
“Only people with babies should be allowed inside,” one user wrote. Some others said the airport should consider imposing fines for such behavior.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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