General FAQ
We've gathered the questions people ask most often about PeoMap as a whole — pricing, sign-up, ads, data reliability. For feature-specific how-tos, see the Guide page; for a detailed look at each feature, see the Features page.
Q.Is PeoMap free?
Yes, anyone can use PeoMap for free — no sign-up or payment required. The service is funded through advertising revenue.
Q.Do I need to sign up?
No. Viewing the map, setting notifications, using favorites, and submitting reports all work without an account. Favorites and notification subscriptions are managed per browser or device.
Q.Why are there ads?
PeoMap is a personal, non-profit public-interest project, but it still incurs server, API, and domain costs. A minimal amount of advertising helps cover these costs, and ads are placed so they don't interfere with core features like viewing the map or submitting reports.
Q.How reliable is the data?
We display Seoul's official Real-Time City Data (Seoul TOPIS) API as-is. Since it's based on telecom signal estimates, there may be slight discrepancies from actual on-site conditions — the citizen report feature helps supplement this.
Q.Can this service 100% prevent accidents?
No. PeoMap is a reference tool that helps you spot crowded situations in advance — it does not guarantee actual safety. If there are warning signs on-site, always follow guidance from police and fire authorities first.
Q.Does it support cities other than Seoul?
Currently only the 120+ major areas officially provided by Seoul City are supported. Expansion to other cities depends on whether those local governments release similar open data.
Q.Is there an app in the app store?
There's no separate native app. Instead, use your mobile browser's share menu "Add to Home Screen" feature to install PeoMap as a PWA (Progressive Web App) that launches directly from your home screen.
Q.Who runs this service?
PeoMap is a personal project built by an individual developer, motivated by the issues raised after the Itaewon crowd crush. Inquiries and suggestions are received directly via the Contact page.
Q.What should I do if I find a bug or error?
Let us know directly through the contact form on the Contact page. Including your device/browser info and a description of the issue helps a lot in diagnosing the cause.
Q.What happens if the service suddenly goes down?
If Seoul's open data API itself has an outage, the latest data may temporarily fail to load. In that case, the last-updated time shown at the top of the map stays visible, so you can tell if the data is stale.