Foreigner on Korean TV Show Calls IU's Prepaid Soup Restaurant to Order "60 More Servings"

Mark Tetto, who appeared on 'Non-Summit'
Contacted a Gukbap restaurant to pay for 60 extra servings
"I am currently in Korea," reassuring netizens

Singer IU. IU Instagram

Mark Tetto, an Italian-American who appeared on JTBC's 'Non-Summit,' was revealed to have joined the prepaid queue for participants of the rally calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol.

On the 13th, ahead of the large-scale rally and the second vote on the impeachment motion, IU's agency Edam Entertainment announced the prepaid support for rally participants through their official fan cafe. They stated, "We prepared food and hot packs hoping that the cold hands of UAENA (the fandom name), who are holding IKE (IU's light stick) and brightly lighting up the rally in the cold weather, will be a little warmer," and added, "Please take care of your health and safety and kindly visit the designated stores." According to the announcement, IU's side prepaid various foods at a total of five locations near the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, where the rally was held, including bakeries, rice cake shops, and soup restaurants. The available items and quantities for pickup included a total of 700 servings of bread, rice cakes, coffee, citron tea, sikhye (sweet rice drink), beef soup, and miso gomtang (miso beef bone soup).

The next day, on social media, news spread that "the 100 servings prepaid by IU at the soup restaurant were all used up, but a foreigner called to pay for an additional 60 servings." It was later revealed that the foreigner was Mark Tetto, which caused netizens to express anxiety, asking, "Why is he overseas and not in Korea?" This was because a meme circulated interpreting that, as an elite from the U.S., he might leave for America if a dangerous situation arises in Korea. In response, Mark Tetto posted on his SNS, "Everyone, I am currently in Korea," reassuring netizens. He also added heart and Taegeukgi (Korean flag) emojis.

Meanwhile, Mark Tetto was born in New Jersey, USA, and is a financial expert who worked in investment banking departments at McMaster-Carr and Morgan Stanley's New York and London offices. In 2010, he began living in Korea upon the recommendation of a mentor while in Korea and worked as a founding member of Samsung Electronics' M&A team. He gained recognition by appearing on programs such as 'Non-Summit' and 'Where Is My Friend's Home?' Currently, he serves as co-CEO of the financial investment company Topo & Coco Korea Asset Management (TCK) and is a director at the Asia Society Korea Center.