A video showing a man believed to be Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong eating alone at a ramen shop in Kyoto, Japan, is belatedly drawing attention. After footage emerged of him quietly enjoying a solo meal without aides in a small restaurant, online commenters reacted with remarks such as "surprisingly down-to-earth" and "a human side."
On the 26th, several online communities resurfaced a Kyoto travel video posted last September by travel YouTuber "Pogmin." In the video, the YouTuber visited a small ramen shop near Kyoto Station. The place is famous for ramen based on clam broth and a clam rice dish, popular with both locals and tourists, and is known for long lines even on normal days. The YouTuber introduced the restaurant, saying, "I was curious because there's always a line."
While eating ramen, the YouTuber looked surprised after seeing a man seated at the counter behind him. After listening to a companion and turning around, the YouTuber made a startled face, saying, "Why is he here?" and the scene was captured in the video. The YouTuber said, "It seemed he had a schedule in Japan, but he was quietly eating ramen alone," adding, "I wanted to say hello, but I didn't because I thought it would be a disturbance."
He added, "Running into him at the same time in a small ramen shop in Kyoto was more surprising than seeing most celebrities," and "If he comes to eat alone, it must be a place even the chairman recognizes for its taste."
As the video spread, speculation has grown that the person is Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Internet users say the facial lines without glasses, the graying hair, and the outfit of a dress shirt with a lightweight padded vest resemble Lee's usual appearance. In particular, with the filming time estimated to be late March to early April, when cherry blossoms bloom, the fact that Lee took a business trip to Japan for eight days and seven nights in early April last year is adding weight to the guess.
The menu of the ramen shop he is said to have visited is also drawing attention. The signature clam-broth ramen runs from 950 to 1,200 yen (about 9,000 to 11,000 won), and the clam-topped rice and plain rice dishes are in the 150 to 200 yen range. Internet users who saw this reacted by saying, "Even the chairman eats 10,000-won ramen," "If this is Lee Jae-yong's price, who am I to complain," and "Down-to-earth and approachable."
Other comments included, "Even a conglomerate chairman waits in line," "That place will be a waiting-line hell now," "He really resembles Lee Kun-hee," "He looks even more like him without glasses," "I should go get Lee Jae-yong's good vibes," and "This will become a must-visit course for Koreans traveling to Kyoto."