Seoul swelters through first tropical night, citizens weary on commute

Seoul residents struggled with the city's first tropical night of the year, as temperatures failed to dip below 25 degrees Celsius, leaving many sleep-deprived and seeking relief from the heat.

“

I woke up several times last night because of the heat, so I'm tired this morning. I usually don't run the air conditioner all night for fear of catching a cold, but last night it was unbearable if I turned it off even for a moment.

Overnight temperatures prompted citizens to run air conditioners continuously, with some reporting waking up multiple times to adjust the settings. The early morning commute on July 13 saw many already sweating, with portable fans becoming a common sight as people navigated the sticky, humid air.

“

I have to wear a suit even in summer because my workplace is quite conservative, and the sweat makes it a hardship from the morning. I'm already tired just thinking about being crammed into the subway.

"I woke up several times last night because of the heat, so I'm tired this morning," said Kim Mi-young, a 37-year-old office worker. "I usually don't run the air conditioner all night for fear of catching a cold, but last night it was unbearable if I turned it off even for a moment."

“

I've been running the air conditioner 24 hours a day since yesterday, and I kept it on all night.

The heatwave has gripped much of South Korea, with the weather agency issuing heatwave advisories for most regions. The perceived temperature in the central part of the country is expected to reach as high as 35 degrees Celsius. The Korea Meteorological Administration noted that the average number of tropical nights nationwide has more than tripled since the 1970s, leading to the establishment of the tropical night advisory system.

“

It's not even 7 a.m. and it's already so hot. I'm already losing energy on my way to work.