"Dead Rat in Kitchen" Former Employee Exposes... Lunchbox Company Denies Any Issues

Former Employee A at Gangnam Dosirak Restaurant
“Food Quality Unfit to Serve Others” Exposes
Company Responds, “No Issues Found in Hygiene Inspection” Rebuttal

[Photo by JTBC, captured from 'Sageonbanjang']

A former employee has exposed the terrible hygiene conditions at a famous lunchbox company in Gangnam.

On the 25th, JTBC's 'Case Manager' covered the shocking hygiene situation inside a delivery-only lunchbox company as witnessed by former employee A. A worked at a well-known lunchbox company in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, famous for its delicious and affordable meals. The store received many bulk orders from hospitals and companies, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, it even recorded annual sales of 2 billion KRW.

A, who was responsible for kitchen assistance and dishwashing, said that on his first day he found cutting boards covered with mold and stains. The cutting boards were even stored near a drain where wastewater pooled. A stated, "The refrigerator was stocked with ingredients that were over a month past their expiration date, and fried dishes were cooked using waste cooking oil." He also revealed, "Dishes were washed using a mixture of bleach and detergent." Employees reportedly worked without wearing masks.

The company told A to eat the store's lunchbox for lunch, but he couldn't tolerate the filth and went outside to buy gimbap instead. He said that although he felt guilty while working there, he endured it because he was afraid he wouldn't get paid if he quit midway.

[Photo by JTBC, captured from 'Sageonbanjang']

However, he witnessed a scene he could no longer tolerate. A decayed rat the size of an adult palm was found in a corner of the kitchen. A claimed, "I saw it because of the foul smell. During the five days I worked there, I also found live rats twice." Eventually, he quit. A explained the reason for his report: "I know the company's main clients are nearby hospitals. I'm worried that medical staff and patients might eat this food. I can't even eat the lunchboxes made there myself, so I thought it was irrational to give them to others."

Regarding this, the company told the media, "We admit that the building is old and the kitchen is cramped, which led to some negligence in management. We think we were at fault." However, they emphasized, "We regularly conduct disinfection and cleaning through a professional company." They also rebutted, "There have been no issues during hygiene inspections so far. It's true that kitchens inevitably get dirty during cooking, but we think this report was maliciously made by only capturing those moments."

Netizens who saw this story responded with comments such as, "Malicious? When there are rats?" "Consumers should boycott such a company," "Is this real in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul?" "Would they give this to their own families?" "A real-life Ratatouille?" "Cleaning the kitchen daily is common sense," "This is why I'm scared to eat out," and "I used to eat there often."