![A priest from the Conventual Franciscan Monastery guides protest participants to the restroom while holding a BTS light stick, "Army Bomb." (Photo courtesy of X [formerly Twitter] user @muriyanan))](http://koreabizwire.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/0002725460_001_20250107213015855.jpg)
A priest from the Conventual Franciscan Monastery guides protest participants to the restroom while holding a BTS light stick, “Army Bomb.” (Photo courtesy of X [formerly Twitter] user @muriyanan))
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — In a remarkable act of solidarity, a Catholic monastery and a renowned art hall in Seoul provided much-needed warmth and refuge for protesters braving freezing temperatures during a sit-in demanding the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol earlier this week.
On January 4, at the Conventual Franciscan Monastery in Hannam-dong, a priest holding a BTS-themed light stick guided about a dozen protesters to restrooms and shelter within the monastery grounds.
The monastery not only opened its facilities to demonstrators but also adapted male restrooms for female use, accommodating the predominantly female participants.
Protesters expressed deep gratitude, with some taking to social media to share their experiences. “I was just there to use the restroom, but they even offered heated spaces and food to keep us warm,” one participant wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The priest dismissed the attention, saying, “I don’t understand why this has become such a big deal. If it brought people joy, that’s all that matters.” The gesture gained traction online, inspiring donations to the monastery as social media users rallied to cover heating costs incurred from hosting the protesters.
Nearby, the Ilshin Hall, a classical performance venue featuring works by artists like Nam June Paik, Georg Baselitz, and Anthony Caro, also opened its doors.
Protesters found warmth in the carefully managed gallery space, which had rarely been accessible to the public in such an informal way.
![In the early hours of January 5, participants of the "Emergency Action Calling for the Immediate Arrest of Yoon Suk-yeol" protest warm themselves in the first-floor lobby of Ilshin Hall in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. (Photo courtesy of Lim [name withheld])](http://koreabizwire.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/0002725460_003_20250107213015917.jpg)
In the early hours of January 5, participants of the “Emergency Action Calling for the Immediate Arrest of Yoon Suk-yeol” protest warm themselves in the first-floor lobby of Ilshin Hall in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. (Photo courtesy of Lim [name withheld])
In an interview, Lim described how the warmth and openness of the venue provided relief from the bitter cold: “It felt surreal to be welcomed into a space normally so meticulously guarded.”
These unexpected acts of hospitality have transformed what began as a political demonstration into a testament to community and creativity, highlighting the resilience and unity of those standing up for their beliefs.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
