A female customer ordered two servings alone and was rebuked
Criticism spreads after YouTuber's video goes public
Yeosu city conducts on-site inspection and provides hospitality training to restaurant owner
As online reactions to the 'rudeness controversy' surrounding a famous restaurant in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province have escalated to the point where people are saying, "I won't travel to Yeosu anymore," the Yeosu city government has launched emergency administrative measures to address the situation.
On July 17, Yeosu city announced that it had recently conducted an on-site inspection by visiting the restaurant at the center of the controversy, which spread through YouTube and other platforms. According to the city, staff from the Food Hygiene Division met with the restaurant owner on July 15 to provide hospitality training and administrative guidance.
A restaurant in Yeosu, which gained popularity after being featured as a must-visit place on several YouTube channels, has sparked controversy after a video was released showing the staff treating a solo customer rudely. YouTube
The controversy began with a video uploaded on July 3 by a female YouTuber. In the video, the YouTuber visited a well-known restaurant in Yeosu, ordered food for two, and was dining when the restaurant owner suddenly made remarks urging her to hurry up, saying, "This isn't a place for just one young lady," "You need to eat quickly," "If you stay like this, the time is unlimited," and "I need to seat the reserved customers." When the YouTuber protested, the owner retorted, "It's only 20,000 won," "You can just leave," and "Why are you acting like this," further embarrassing her.
This restaurant, which gained nationwide fame after being featured on popular YouTube channels introducing local eateries, is now causing significant damage to the region's image due to the controversy. Online posts include statements such as, "I won't travel to Yeosu anymore."
Regarding the controversy, the restaurant owner, who is in his 80s, reportedly explained to the city that "the YouTuber filmed without consent, and my voice is naturally loud, which may have caused a misunderstanding in my tone."
However, Yeosu city has also begun a special hygiene inspection, separate from this controversy. The city plans to intensively inspect the cleanliness of ingredients and the hygiene of cooking facilities at numerous restaurants in the area. If any violations are found, the city has warned that strong administrative actions such as fines will be imposed. A Yeosu city official stated, "This inspection may be seen as setting an example with one particular restaurant, but the main focus is on improving service," adding, "We will strengthen hospitality training for restaurants throughout the city and establish a service manual."
A restaurant in Yeosu, which gained popularity after being featured as a must-visit place on several YouTube channels, has sparked controversy after a video was released showing the staff treating a solo customer rudely. YouTube
On July 17, Lee Seokju, a member of the Yeosu City Council, also commented on social media, "I take the opinions of citizens seriously," and "I have closely discussed the matter with the relevant departments and called for swift action at the city level." Lee stated, "The responsible department visited the site to assess the situation and strongly instructed the business owner to maintain a polite and friendly attitude when dealing with customers in the future, warning that further administrative disadvantages could follow if similar issues recur."
He added, "This issue should serve as an opportunity not only for a simple hygiene inspection, but also to review and improve the overall trust in Yeosu tourism and the city's hospitality culture," and continued, "To ensure that hospitality training and hygiene management for restaurants are substantially strengthened, I will also raise more in-depth questions about this matter at the temporary council meeting on July 17 and will continue to monitor the city's follow-up measures to ensure they meet the expectations of citizens."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
