A representative for Monk Jeongwi alleged that a general programming channel recently aired a program that plagiarized the monk's original vegetarian recipes without permission. The representative expressed regret that cooking methods refined over decades were presented as a specific entertainer's creations and said they would pursue an official response.
On the 21st, a post on Monk Jeongwi's YouTube channel board said, "A dish identical to the monk's banquet noodles aired around the 7th on a certain general programming channel," adding, "Distinctive methods unique to the monk—such as splitting a whole potato in half and adding it to the broth, seasoning with wolfberry powder, and topping with raw spinach—were the same as in that broadcast." It particularly pointed out that even the types of ingredients and their exact amounts listed in the video description matched.
It continued, "Seeing a dish created through Monk Jeongwi's decades-long vegetarian life transformed in an instant into an entertainer's dish was absurd, and we felt very sorry to Monk Jeongwi," and added, "To verify the facts, we inquired on the broadcaster's viewer board, applied to the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) for a rights-infringement review, and sent a content-certified mail, but the production team has remained silent, which is frustrating."
The representative said, "We fully welcome and allow subscribers to follow Monk Jeongwi's recipes or share them with attribution, but we will never tolerate using the recipes without attribution and seeking profit from them."
Monk Jeongwi has researched seasonal vegetable diets at Gwanaksan Mountain Silsangsa and has introduced recipes through the book release and since 2022 on YouTube's "A vegetable meal by Monk Jeongwi." The program in question featured an entertainer presenting the cooking directly, but criticism continues that even the amount of water and the number of ingredients were identical to the monk's video.
Comments demanding an explanation from the production team are pouring into the video's comment section. However, the show's producers have not offered any particular position on the plagiarism allegations so far.