Belgian-born TV personality Julian Quintart apologized after drawing criticism for taking aim at a privately run cafe.
On 22nd, Julian posted a photo on social media (SNS) of a drink cup from a cafe run by a private individual and wrote, "So now there's not just a double cup but a triple cup? Why do they really do this kind of thing? Overpackaging of overpackaging. I'm sure this company isn't the only one, but could the people running it please think it over one more time?"
Afterward, owner A posted on an online community to express frustration. A said, "A famous celebrity criticized us for overpackaging the cup. It would have been better if they had messaged me with a suggestion before mentioning it, but they just exposed it without that," adding, "We make drinks using natural ingredients ourselves and use small nugget ice to chill quickly. It melts fast, so we ended up using an insulated cup to prevent flavor deterioration. At first, we used drink zipper bags because we wanted to reduce takeout containers. Various problems arose, so we switched to this."
As A's explanation spread, Julian deleted the photo that showed A's cafe name and posted an apology. Julian wrote, "Yesterday, regarding the packaging method for drinks sold at a store, I posted on SNS tagging the trade name and account to raise an issue publicly. I did not fully consider that my rash action could harm the store's image and even lead to financial damage," adding, "It was clearly my fault."
He also wrote, "With my narrow thinking, I presumptuously judged the owner's deep deliberation. I should have first asked about the circumstances through communication and shared my opinion, but the biggest mistake was acting while skipping that process. The owner even showed generosity by saying, 'Let's think together about better ways going forward.' I realized even more deeply how irresponsible my actions were."
He mentioned compensation as well. He said, "I have separately expressed my apologies to the owner and conveyed that I would actively discuss ways to compensate for the psychological and financial damage."
Julian, who became known through the 2014 JTBC variety program Abnormal Summit, has served as an ambassador for the Seoul International Eco Film Festival and as a goodwill ambassador for climate action for Earth Day at the European Union.