In a column published on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, by cleveland.com, writer Justice Hill reflects on a late-night visit to an unstaffed convenience mart in Busan, South Korea, using the experience to question whether the modern United States could ever sustain a commercial honor system.
The Midnight Encounter at the Zero Store
During a stay near the Brown Dot Hotel in Busan, Hill visited the Zero Store around 10 p.m. on the final night of the trip. Inside the shop, two other shoppers scanned their merchandise at a kiosk, paid with credit cards, and departed without encountering any store personnel. Upon finishing personal selections—two protein bars and a pint of chocolate ice cream—Hill looked around for a clerk, finding no one on duty.
Finding that the kiosk screen displayed entirely Korean text, Hill walked to the back of the store and knocked on a closed door, receiving no answer. Unable to decipher the payment prompts and unwilling to leave without paying, the writer ultimately placed the items back on their shelves and exited empty-handed. Reflecting on the encounter, Hill notes watching customers stream in and out of the shop during daytime hours—sometimes aided by a staff member—while the nighttime hours relied entirely on customer integrity.
Contrasting Retail Realities in America
Hill argues that a retail model operating primarily on trust could not survive in the United States, pointing to widespread retail theft as a barrier. The column highlights that major retailers such as Walmart have scaled back self-service checkout lines due to frequent brazen thefts of everyday items ranging from candy to razor blades. While such losses drive companies toward financial strain, Hill observes that Busan’s unmanned model appeared to function effectively, noting that among people in America, thievery likely reigns.
