Comedian Lee Guk-joo Opens Up About Her Trauma with Public Transport
Comedian Lee Guk-joo recently shared her struggles with public transportation during a video on her YouTube channel. The episode, titled "Lost My House Key in Tokyo, No Seaweed for the Raccoon?! Attempting Japan's Spicy Challenge Level 30! The Reason I Can't Use Public Transport..." was released on June 10, 2025.
In the video, Lee explained that she had to take a taxi to retrieve her house key from a real estate agent after losing it. "My big issue is taking taxis," she admitted. Upon arriving at her destination, she noted, "Today, the taxi fare was 100,000 won. Taxis are definitely expensive in Japan. I want to try the subway, but it’s hard for me to do so."
Lee revealed her fear of subways stems from a traumatic experience during her first year of university. She recalled, "I was taking a bus that passed by Cheongnyangni when a woman bumped into my foot as the bus started moving. I remember thinking, 'It’s okay,' but suddenly, she raised her hand and slammed my head against the pole, calling me a 'crazy woman.'" This shocking incident left her rattled.
She continued, "A week later, I was on the same bus heading home when I offered my seat to an elderly person. Suddenly, they placed my bag between their legs and started talking to me. I found it annoying and didn’t respond, so they just took my bag and got off the bus."
Lee humorously recounted how she ended up following the person off the bus, who then thanked her and suggested they go to karaoke. "I was 20 at the time, but I was actually 19. I must have looked older because I ran like crazy. It was the first time I ever ran that fast in my life," she reflected, recalling the harassment she faced.
After these experiences, she expressed her growing fear of confined spaces and encounters with strangers, which led her to avoid public transport. However, she acknowledged, "Living here, I can’t just rely on taxis. I think I need to learn how to use the subway now. I’m sure everyone has faced failures in life at least once, right?"
