Covid: Seoul bans speedy songs in gyms to stop sweating

Gyms in South Korea’s capital Seoul and its surrounding region have been told not to play music with a tempo higher than 120 beats per minute (bpm), in order to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Treadmills will be limited to a maximum of 6km/h (3.7 mph). Health officials say the restrictions will prevent people from breathing too fast or splashing sweat on each other.

A quick look at K-pop bpms suggests Blackpink fans might suffer a bit more than followers of BTS. South Korea is battling a new outbreak of the virus, with 1,100 new cases recorded on Sunday.