The famous restaurant in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, introduced as the top restaurant on the YouTube variety show 'Ttoganjip,' is facing criticism after it was revealed that staff treated a female customer dining alone rudely. As a result, the restaurant posted a handwritten apology at its entrance, bowing its head.
The controversy began on the 3rd when a female YouTuber, referred to as A, uploaded a video. In the video titled 'A restaurant that gives you the side-eye after waiting 20 minutes for two servings ordered alone,' there are scenes showing restaurant staff hastening A's meal with a rough tone, saying, 'You need to eat quickly,' 'It's not just one young lady coming in,' and 'If you sit like this, it'll take forever.'
Feeling uncomfortable, A decided to stop her meal and attempted to leave the restaurant; however, the restaurant insisted, 'We will not charge you,' but she paid for her meal via bank transfer. A ended up showing her emotional distress.
The restaurant was introduced as the 'top restaurant' in the Yeosu episode of the YouTube channel 'Ttoganjip' due to satire, which only spread the controversy further. Afterward, A met with the satirist and conveyed the situation at the time, and the satirist noted, 'You must have handled a lot more attention and gaze, so thank you for coming out.' A revealed, 'The reality was worse than the video,' clarifying that 'this issue is not a derogation of a specific area but a personal experience review.'
As the controversy grew, the city of Yeosu visited the restaurant on the 16th for an assessment of the situation. The owner reportedly explained to city officials, 'The YouTuber filmed without consent,' and 'My voice was loud, leading to misunderstandings,' but this only drew backlash from public opinion.
On the 17th, the city of Yeosu sent an official letter to more than 5,000 restaurants in the area urging them to provide 'kind service.' The letter contained guidelines such as ▲ Prohibiting the coercion of ordering more than two servings for single visitors ▲ Guaranteeing meal time ▲ Providing guidance in a gentle tone ▲ Detailed explanations of the menu and cooking methods.
On the 20th, a photo of the handwritten apology note attached to the restaurant's entrance was shared online. It said, 'We apologize for causing a problem. In the future, we will provide kind and gentle customer service. We apologize,' but the dominant reaction is that sincerity still remains in question.
In an interview with Yeosu MBC on the 18th, the restaurant owner, referred to as B, stated, 'I filmed without consent,' and 'I just told them to eat quickly and leave,' expressing, 'I'm unfairly portrayed because my voice is loud.'
[Photo] SNS, video capture
[OSEN]