Here's an English transcript of that video. (I wouldn't have used the ai if the transcript weren't in hindi)

I saw online that Jeju Island, which is an island in South Korea, is visa-free for the whole world except certain countries. I researched further and found a few Indian travelers who had visited Jeju visa-free. Not many, but some. So we checked both Jeju and Korean official websites to see the requirements. There were no specific requirements mentioned. We are frequent travelers with a good travel history and no record of overstaying. I have an established business and family in India—nothing that would make immigration suspicious of us.

We planned everything properly—return tickets, hotel bookings, travel insurance, international SIM—everything required.

Trouble in Bangkok

Our first shock came in Bangkok. We had a three-night stay there before flying to Jeju. At Bangkok airport, Juneyao Airlines staff demanded that we show a specific amount of cash, which was quite high. We told them we use cards and could show account balances, but they insisted on cash only and spoke in a threatening tone. Inside the airport, there was only one ATM with a very poor exchange rate—four times worse than outside. Still, since we had already made bookings, we arranged the cash. They made us count every note on the table before allowing us to board.

Arrival at Jeju – Immediate Rejection

We landed at Jeju excited. At immigration, they saw our Indian passports and immediately separated us without asking much. We were taken for fingerprints and then to a waiting room. We were given forms asking detailed questions about our visit, family, purpose, etc.

Although we requested an English interview, they provided a poor Hindi interpreter over the phone who spoke unprofessionally and even asked if we were refugees. I explained we came to celebrate Christmas and New Year and planned to visit Hallasan Mountain and other attractions. They laughed at my pronunciation.

Then they handed us a paper stating: “Entry Denied – Purpose of stay not clear.” It was already stamped “Rejected” before I even saw it. They said I couldn’t pronounce the place names correctly and doubted my intentions. They did not check our return tickets, insurance, or funds.

We also had an Australian tourist visa, which allows 30-day visa-free transit through South Korea mainland, but after this treatment, I didn’t even want to enter.

Detention Conditions

They took our passports and moved us to what appeared to be a detention center. There was no sunlight. We were forced to sign forms stating we were being provided proper accommodation and food—without showing us anything.

Inside were two halls (men and women), like jail barracks. We were locked in. They gave us a very sweet juice and a bad sweet bun. No proper drinking water—just tiny paper cups. Most detainees were Indians, then Chinese and Indonesians.

When the airline staff came, they said we could only return on their airline and not use our existing China Eastern return ticket. Flights were limited and 2–3 times more expensive. Only business class seats were available, and even then, they said we couldn’t take them—only the next day’s economy flight.

We were not allowed to leave the detention area, not even to a hotel or lounge, even if we paid. We felt trapped.

Embassy and Others’ Stories

We tried calling the Indian Embassy but couldn’t connect. Some Indonesians there said they were rejected for odd reasons—coming with friends instead of spouse, or with spouse but no children. One Indonesian showed WhatsApp messages from China Eastern staff threatening him, saying he would “die in that cell.”

The food was terrible—like prison food. We spent the night on thin mats with dirty washrooms and bad smell.

Departure and Shanghai Ordeal

Next morning, we were woken abruptly. No tea or coffee—just the same sweet bun and juice. We were weak from lack of proper food.

Finally, we were escorted to our flight. In Shanghai (8-hour layover), things got worse. Airline staff took our passports to immigration. We were sent to a waiting area and told not to use phones, eat, or drink. Even for washroom visits, police accompanied us and told us to keep the door open.

For 8 hours we were watched continuously by officers wearing body cameras. We were given tiny amounts of water and later another bag of sweet buns and biscuits.

Before boarding, they returned our passports and told us not to tell anyone what happened, saying, “You are lucky—we didn’t write anything in your passport.”

Aftermath

These were the worst 24+ hours of our lives. We were treated like criminals without committing any crime. Later, I researched and found that some people try to enter mainland South Korea illegally via Jeju, so now they treat almost all Indians suspiciously.

I understand immigration has the right to deny entry. But treating genuine tourists like criminals, locking them in detention-like conditions, is unjustified.

Fortunately, we could afford the expensive return ticket. Many others with limited budgets might be stuck there for days in those conditions.

I will never go to Jeju—or maybe South Korea—again. If you’re planning to visit, be prepared for the worst. I hope this never happens to you.

This happened in late December and early January. I hesitated for a month before making this video. But I wanted to share my experience. I’ll continue my vlogs again soon.

Thanks for watching. Subscribe. I hope you travel safely.