Let me say at the outset that the point here is not to make baseless speculation. Rather, the point is to put together puzzle pieces and at least grapple with what may have occurred. Furthermore, it is to advocate for transparency.
Korean Air Flight Attendant With Coronavirus Spent Two Days In Los Angeles
Yesterday, LA media (citing Israeli and Korean media) widely reported that the Korean Air flight attendant who contracted COVID-19 “hung out” in Los Angeles during her layover of almost two days between the morning of February 19th and night of February 20th.
Allegedly, she flew on these flights:
- KE 17 / ICN-LAX / 19 February / 2:30PM dep / 8:30AM arr
- KE12 / LAX-ICN / 20 February / 10:40PM dep / 5:10AM arr +2 days
Those flights details have not been confirmed by Korean Air, but have been widely circulated in South Korean media.
Then there was the question of what she did while she in Los Angeles. Chatter begin to spread in online forums for Korean-Americans that the flight attendant was seen in the following five places:
- 항아리칼국수 Hangari Kalguksoo
- 아기씨곱창 Ahgassi Gopchang
- 한신포차 Hanshin Pocha
- 꿀돼지 Honey Pig
- Wilshire Grand Center (InterContinental DTLA)
The first four places are popular Korean restaurants while the InterContinental DTLA is a hotel owned by Korean Air and where Korean Air flight crews always stay during Los Angeles layovers.
Then The Info Disappeared…
But by this morning, that info was wiped clean. Local ABC, CBS, and Fox affiliates removed all traces of this info. The Times of Israel removed it, as did Yonhap, a South Korean new agency. It was almost like a gag order descended over this story.
This probably occurred because it never should have been reported in the first place…it may well have been baseless speculation that she would visit four restaurants over a two-day period (though I don’t find it so far-fetched).
Perhaps these restaurants freaked out because even rumors of coronavirus could (and did) drive away business.
So why am I bringing it up?
Not to warn you to stay away from these places. But to state the obvious: unless she slept for two days, which is highly unlikely considering she was not yet exhibiting any flu-like symptoms at the time, the flight attendant must have done something while she was in LA.
And wouldn’t it seem logical that she would visit some of LA’s best insider Korean restaurants? I strongly doubt that a flight attendant can afford room service three times a day at the InterContinental (I’ve seen the prices…). These days, Koreatown is becoming hipper and cooler as it gentrifies into LA’s next yuppie enclave. It’s not uncommon to see Korean Air flight attendants hang out there.
I don’t think it is wrong for Los Angeles residents, including myself, to ask where the flight attendant was. That info is available…Korean Air is simply holding it back. Speculation is bound to result as long as that information is withheld.
CONCLUSION
It’s a bit sobering to think that one flight attendant may have spread COVID-19 to hundreds of people, isn’t it? I think the people of Los Angeles have a right to know where the flight attendant was during her stopover. Not because we are afraid, but because we want to be informed and make the wisest decisions for ourselves and our families on the basis of known risk…
Stop fear mongering. I sleep well at night knowing that we have a president that shuns science.
We fly thru (1 1/2) hour lay over in South Korea airport on April 18, 2020 with Korean airlines. Should we be concerned here??
Kevin. Don’t worry. At most wear a mask and carry hand sanitizer wipes that you use liberally.
The room service is charged to her company not to her personally. You are making assumptions that goes against some absolute facts. Waste of time
Tito, I don’t believe this is the case.
This just in. The restaurants mentioned above were not visited by the stewardess. But she did visit two places during her stay in LA. They were not in Koreatown. The Korean consulate in LA has received a request by LA County to share information about these places.
https://news.v.daum.net/v/20200229062625332 (use Google Traanslate)
So which are the 2 places visited by the flight attendant? Have they disclosed with the public yet? Thanks
Seiho, I wil update my post as soon as the two restaurants are revealed. Thanks!
This post is so wrong in so many levels. You simply ignored the ignorance of people and spelled out death sentences to the businesses you mentioned. You might as well tell people not to leave their house. By demanding more information does not help resolve this issue but rather promoting more fear.
You give me far too much credit.
You are irresponsible at best.
Emercycrite,
Matthew isn’t being irresponsible. He states facts.
To ignore the facts and try to suppress information is just inane.
You owe him an apology. Your youthful ideals ignore that reality is cruel and harsh to the potential victims who are not given open, truthful information to make informed and intelligent decisions.
Nothing more to say
I’m having a hard time picking up any “facts” from the post. At the very most it seems to be completely speculative and “gossip” (as mentioned in the reddit link). The remainder of his post reflects his opinions regarding public health and epidemiology, neither of which he seems qualified comment on.
You are free to do what you want with my post. But my point remains: LA residents have the right to know.
Death sentences ? Do you aware how china had spread to so many people in short amount of time ? How 1 person has the virus infected a whole cruise ship of people ? Because they cover up all these things that include the previous coronavirus outbreak SARS back in 2003 !
I agree with this post. This Virus begin to spread allover because the infected person did not disclose or the Media coverup the informations . It think we should take the necessary step to prevent and control this epidemic. Please stop being selfish because you are yet not infected and by thinking that this is not going to happen here.
Now that California has a confirmed case in the north and a future outbreak likely in the south containment efforts should go into effect. Debit seems to feel the president is clueless as to what steps to take, but I hear he is considering putting the state on quarantine and sending Californians, like Nancy Pelosi back to their mother ship until a cure is found. That would but a whole new spin on the phrase “Lock her up!”
All the shenanigans the blonde chimpanzee and his minions (who have been indicted and found guilty) have pulled and you still chant lock her up? This is exactly why i think republicans are hypocrites. They believe in rule of law only when it applies to others.
A republican is guilty just for breathing.
While a democrat is guilty just for braying? If Republicans are hypocrites then Democrats are hypocrats. Just remember your facts – only one President was ever called “honest” – and he certainly wasn’t a Democrat.
“And wouldn’t it seem logical that she would visit some of LA’s best insider Korean restaurants?”
Also logical for her to visit places and restaurants that they don’t have in Korea as well. Just saying, some people might like to try out foreign restaurants and cuisine while they are overseas…
Well, yes. But Korean Air crews typically frequent these restaurants, apparently.
A gross generalisation to make.
No, not at all. These are some of the best “local” restaurants in town and frequented by the Korean community, including Korean Air crews.
Sorry if that doesn’t fit your preconceptions…
@Aaron: Sorry but I did not see your post before I posted mine. I agree 100% with you.
“And wouldn’t it seem logical that she would visit some of LA’s best insider Korean restaurants?” Really?? So you are South Korean, based in South Korean, working for a South Korean airline, staying at a hotel owned by Korean Air and it is logical to eat in 3 Korean restaurants? That is what I call “open mind”. Seriously, this is the same poor judgment of many Americans that once they fly out of the US they have to find burger place to eat in whatever country the visit. That for me is being very shorted minded and not open to try different things when you are outside your country.
Statement made by Mathew and your response to it is the exact reason why it should be made public where she dined. People can only take precautions if they are informed.
I dated a Japanese F/A for a year. Trust me, they mostly ate at Japanese restaurants when traveling. Despite your “open mind” ideal there are many cultures, like Japan and Korea, that the cuisine is comfort, familiar, and probably easy on a quick turnaround. As well it’s inexpensive, healthier, and more easily digested considering 32 hour turnarounds and jet lag.
Regarding your comment that “Americans find a burger place to eat in whatever country they are in” is completely absurd and based on no fact or observation. Are you some old dude who last traveled in 1970? I would say Americans are the most willing and curious culture in trying a vast array of cuisine when traveling.
@Stuart: Just to start, I never said “Americans”. I said “MANY Americans”. FYI, I work with and have worked for several US companies that are in the Fortune 500 list. I travelled over 5MM miles during my career and many times with my American colleagues. I lost count of how many times they were in a different country and did not want to leave the hotel and ate burgers or other “comfort” foods that were not typical from the country they were visiting. I had instances where people booked group dinners at the Tony Roma’s in Asian capitals because they wanted that food. I know many Americans that go to Starbucks and McDonald’s when traveling abroad. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing bad about these choices but in my view I like to experience local food and local experiences when I travel abroad. Many (Not all) Americans don’t like that.
And your (many Americans) is based on your observations of work related dinners? Great sample! If that’s the case I can tell you that far more often than not my travels and business meals are done at local and interesting places. As do most of my colleagues. Perhaps this is not about “Americans” and more about the culture of where you work?
Stuart, I’m confused that you attack Santastico for making a generalization on Americans based on anecdotal experience but then don’t see the hypocrisy when you make your own generalization about Japanese and Koreans based on your own anecdotal experience. At least be consistent.
It’s probably a generalization to assert that both Japanese and Americans stick to home food when traveling. I will say that from my experience Americans can be as parochial as anyone else. On my last trip to a lovely Caribbean island I recall being in a lovely beach shack restaurant dining on delicious fresh caught local fish. The Americans who made up 95% of the other tables almost all ordered the bbq ribs. So yeah, not exactly pushing the boat out to try local cuisine.
I am absolutely generalizing Asian travelers in being more focused on their own food. And defending it in some ways given the points I made in the above comments.
Take Vienna for example. Map the 1st district and see the number of Japanese and Chinese restaurants there. It’s insane. And they are full every day with….Asian travelers.
Now, go too Plachutta. The quintessential Austrian restaurant. It’s mostly filled with Americans and they are happily trying Tafelspitz.
You use the Caribbean as an example? My god, the islands there are basically a TGI Friday’s and, again, not exactly a good sample.
I agree with Stuart. It is what I see around the world. When I worked with Air China in Frankfurt, they had no desire to go to German restaurants…only Chinese restaurants.
My neighborhood in Los Angeles has a large Korean population. My neighbors are Korean too. So enough with the “gross generalization” charges. This is what I have observed, not what I “think”…
OK, well if we’re playing the anecdote game I’m telling that you what I have “observed” and “think” is that Americans are incredibly parochial too. They are an incredibly inward looking country and from my experience of living in multiple countries in Asia, Europe and North America, Americans are by far not very cosmopolitan either. There is the example I already cited of gobs of Americans avoiding seafood while in the Caribbean (it was Anguilla, not exactly a TGIF crowd), or the ones in Santorini who complained about all the bones in the fish being gross, or the Californian in Singapore who complained about how bad the Mexican food was there and that it’s ridiculous Singaporeans don’t know about Cinco de Mayo, or how about the travel bloggers who mainly try the “Western” cuisine while flying international first class! Americans trying local cuisine in Austria isn’t a fair example considering that American food is, by definition, Western, so Austrian cuisine is going to be much closer to their idea of comfort food than it would be for a comparable Thai/Singaporean/Taiwanese etc. person. How about we use examples from Sri Lanka, Vietnam or a non-Western country as a better basis of comparison?
Living in Korea Town and having Korean neighbors makes you an expert? Every immigrant group in America has brought over their own food and maintained their culinary traditions.
My point is that there are going to be cosmopolitan Americans and plenty of parochial ones too. Same for Koreans, Japanese, Singaporeans, etc. It could be a matter of social class. The carnival cruise crowd (and they exist in all countries) are likely to be less exposed to different foods and gravitate towards their own. The more cosmopolitan well traveled crowd may be more willing to try new/different foods.
I will assert this though. Do a poll of people from all countries (not just Americans) and I’m pretty darned sure Americans are not going to be at the top of the list of willing to try new foods.
Yes, Santastico, that is exactly correct. I just saw it at the Hyatt Regency in CDG. Korean Air crew, eating Korean food from buffet.
You are correct: there is a legal and ethical responsibility for authorities to trace the movements of this person ( and to notify the public, so that anyone who visited the same establishments is at least aware of the potential for exposure). It’s unfortunate that social media ‘jumped the gun’ ( recognising the potential for malicious intent in naming places).
Exactly.
I made a comment yesterday on Reddit that Ahgassi Yelp/Business owner removed a comment about the corona virus:
https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/f9h77m/positive_korean_air_stewardess_visited_these_los/fivgaxv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x
People have the right to know!
This was taken yesterday at one of the restaurants listed. Hangari… address matches up. Always good to be careful especially with such a contagious disease.
https://imgur.com/a/Evwsh1v
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/27/california-is-monitoring-8400-people-for-the-coronavirus.html
We just went through the same situation here in Irvine. There was a confirmed case somewhere in Orange County. A rumor spread online with a list of businesses the alleged female patient had visited. For weeks afterwards, every place on that list had virtually no customers. It was later revealed that it was actually a male patient not in Irvine and the list was inaccurate. You say you’re not telling people to stay away, but listing those business names based on an assumption is doing exactly that.
Or perhaps Mike Pence has ordered all details pulled from public view!
A friend of mine just got back from South Korea and has been sick for 3 days. She looked horrible. You would think that the media would be interested.
Have she contacted the CDC or given advance notice to authorities and then gone to seek medical attention in a controlled environment?
If not have you done so?
Anything but that response puts our country and citizens and even you at risk.
Hi Matthew,
I totally agree with you, it’s such a shame that Korean Air do not share the details with the public. I live in HK and we are very transparent on this. Over here we not only publish daily when there is a new case, but there is live press by the Department of Health giving information about each new case. They will mention the public places where the infected person (unnamed) had been so that everyone can be aware. This can minimise the virus from spreading or at least try to contain. For example, the last few cases happened to be in a small temple, one of the old lady saw on TV that is was the temple where she visited a week ago, she then contacted the hospital to get tested and it came out positive.
So you would rather place the people at risk rather than the market.. this is just like the chinese government … and look at the results now.. the world is paying for it. Precautions first.. better be safe than sorry
DEBIT your still a Liberal left sided IDIOT!!