South Korean store employee disassembles shelf to retrieve Japanese tourist's lost earphones

An act of exceptional kindness by a convenience store employee at Incheon Airport in South Korea has captured hearts and gone viral on social media in both Japan and South Korea. The employee's dedication to retrieving a Japanese tourist's lost earphones has become a symbol of positive cross-border relations.

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The employee stated that the earphones had rolled into a very narrow space under the shelf, and he couldn't reach them by bending over, so he simply lay on his side.

The incident occurred when one of two Japanese sisters, visiting South Korea, accidentally dropped her earphones into a tight space beneath a shelf in the airport's convenience store. Despite the difficulty, the store employee patiently searched for the lost item.

After several minutes of searching, and when bending down proved insufficient, the employee took the initiative to disassemble part of the shelf. This allowed him to reach the earphones, which were covered in dust, and return them to the grateful sisters.

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He said that Japanese tourists always apologize and thank him for small things, which made him reflect on whether he had been too indifferent before.

The older sister shared the story on social media, where it quickly garnered widespread attention. The employee, identified as 26 years old, later told local media that he didn't expect his actions to cause such a stir. He recalled the earphones rolling into a narrow area where he couldn't reach by bending, prompting him to dismantle the shelf. He emphasized the importance of making a good first impression on visitors arriving in South Korea, as the airport is the first point of contact.

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He added that at the convenience store in Incheon Airport, he encounters many Japanese travelers, and they always say sorry and thank you for small things, which made him reflect on whether he had been too indifferent before.