A Neatly Dressed Woman Keeps Looking Around... Eventually Skipped Paying for the Meal

Woman Eats Jjukkumi Bibimbap Without Paying
Looks Around Counter Then Flees
Netizens Outraged... "The Bag Is Designer"

A woman who ordered and was eating Jjukkumi Bibimbap. She kept glancing toward the counter and soon left the store. The customer left without paying for the bibimbap she ate. Even after a long time, the woman did not return to the store. This so-called daytime 'meoktwi (eating and running)' incident has sparked outrage among netizens.

A woman who dined and dashed at a Jjukkumi restaurant in Hongdae.
[Photo by SNS]

On the 19th, a post containing this story went viral on social media (SNS). The author, Mr. A, who runs a Jjukkumi restaurant near Hongik University, began by saying, "On the 17th, around 12:36 PM during lunchtime, a seemingly normal woman, no different from any other customer, entered the store."

Mr. A explained, "The customer kept looking around and then took a seat at a table near the entrance and ordered Jjukkumi Bibimbap. While eating, she continuously glanced toward the staff, acting suspiciously. The employees were also keeping a close watch on her," he said. He continued, "After finishing her meal in 20 minutes, the customer suddenly disappeared. We thought she might be smoking or on a call, so we waited, but she never came back," expressing his frustration.

The closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage shared by Mr. A shows a woman wearing a red sweater ordering and eating Jjukkumi Bibimbap. The woman appears uneasy, frequently checking the counter and staff, then after finishing her meal, grabs her bag and flees the scene.

A woman who dined and dashed at a jjukkumi restaurant in Hongdae.
[Photo by JTBC, screenshot from 'Case Manager' news coverage]

Netizens who saw the story commented, "Watching the video, it doesn’t seem like someone who just ate and ran once. She’s experienced," "Isn’t she ashamed at her age?" "If she had a reason, she should have told the owner," "They even accept bank transfers, how mean," "Her bag is a luxury brand, but she can’t pay for Jjukkumi," "The staff should have sensed something suspicious when she kept watching them," and so on.

Meanwhile, the act of ordering and consuming food or drinks at restaurants without paying, known as 'mujun chwisik (無錢取食, dining and dashing),' is a common problem in our society. On the 16th, reports were received that a man in his 50s had been dining and dashing at various bars in Incheon and Gyeonggi areas, prompting police investigations.

Under Article 3 of the Minor Offenses Act, mujun chwisik can be punished with a fine, detention, or penalty not exceeding 100,000 won. Punishment applies even if there was no intent. If the amount involved is large, or if the act is habitual or planned, it can be prosecuted as fraud, punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine up to 20 million won.