Korean man fails to board crowded Mumbai train, takes taxi instead: ‘Made me deeply respect the people here’
The Korean man’s video of his attempt to board a crowded local train has prompted varied responses on social media.
A travel content creator from South Korea recently shared his chaotic experience navigating Mumbai’s legendary public transit system. A viral video documented his repeated struggles to board a local train during peak hours. Despite purchasing a round-trip ticket and making multiple attempts to push through the overwhelming crowds, he failed to board every single incoming train. Defeated by the intense daily rush, he eventually abandoned the railway platform and took a taxi to reach his destination, expressing profound admiration for the local commuters who effortlessly navigate the city’s bustling rail network daily.

The man posted a video of his journey on Instagram, documenting his experience in the crowded station.
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The video he shared shows a train entering a crowded railway station. In the video, the Korean man fails to board the train. He also shows he purchased a round-trip ticket.
As the video progresses, he tries again but fails. Though frustrated, he keeps at it. However, he eventually gives up and takes a taxi to his destination.
The person later wrote that experiencing a local train in India increased his respect for the local people.
How did social media react?
An individual commented, "You got scared so quickly! There was hardly any crowd on the train and the platform.” Another posted, “During peak hours,you shouldn't be taking the Mumbai metro lol. Everyone is running to get to their office on time.”
A third expressed, “Just ask anyone, and they will help you get.” A fourth wrote, “You got scared, ohh, we too.” Many reacted to the post with laughing-out-loud emoticons.
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In a conversation over Instagram DM, the man told Hindustantimes.com, “I'm a tourist from Korea and I had a short vacation in Mumbai and Delhi.”
He continued, “I attempted to take a train to Mumbai from Thane Station at noon on a weekday, adding, ”I can't even imagine how crowded this place is during rush hour. I deeply respect the people here for working so hard every day, and I believe this is the reason for traveling in India."
He explained, “That evening I attempted to take a train in Mumbai for Thane once more, and I succeeded thanks to the help of local citizens.”
ABOUT THE AUTHORTrisha SenguptaTrisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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