Officials said the move was intended to prevent people from breathing too fast or splashing sweat on others.

The rule, however, has come in for ridicule, with opposition politicians calling it “nonsense”.

“Playing bright tracks is to cheer up our members and the overall mood, but my biggest question is whether playing classical music or songs by [boyband] BTS has been proved to have any impact on spreading the virus,” Kang Hyun-ku, a gym owner, said.

“Many people use their own earphones and wearable devices these days, and how do you control their playlists?”