"I Won't Eat Korean Food"... Negative Reactions Pour In
"Concerns About Damage to Korean Cuisine's Image...Active Response Needed"
Maggots are wriggling along the edge of the grill where the meat is being cooked. TikTok account @riiicaaaa
A video showing maggots crawling along the edge of the grill at a restaurant serving Korean barbecue (K-BBQ) has been uploaded to TikTok, sparking controversy. Concerns have been raised that the video could damage the image of Korean cuisine, as some viewers have misunderstood the scene to have been filmed at a restaurant in Korea.
On August 11, the video began spreading belatedly across various online communities. The seven-second clip clearly shows a single white maggot wriggling along the edge of the grill where the meat is being cooked.
"I Won't Eat Korean Food"... Negative Reactions Pour In
Maggots are wriggling along the edge of the grill where the meat is being cooked. TikTok account @riiicaaaa
Within two months of being posted, the video surpassed 26 million views and spread worldwide. More than 12,000 comments included negative reactions such as, "I wanted to try Korean food, but I've changed my mind," "I'll never eat samgyeopsal," and "I didn't know Korean food was so unhygienic." Some viewers mistakenly believed the incident took place at a restaurant in Korea, leading to the perception that all Korean cuisine has hygiene issues.
However, the meat in the video does not appear to be a cut commonly referred to as samgyeopsal in Korea. In addition, there is an unfamiliar sauce on the table that is rarely seen in Korea. According to foreign media reports, the incident actually occurred at a Korean barbecue restaurant located in the Philippines.
"Concerns About Damage to Korean Cuisine's Image...Active Response Needed"
Domestic internet users expressed their frustration, saying, "If this had happened in Korea, it would have made front-page news," "If it were in our country, everyone would have heard about it by now," and "In Korea, people make a fuss even if there's a little too much fat on samgyeopsal?there's no way this could have happened here." Some also voiced concern about the spread of misinformation, saying, "This misunderstanding happened because the video was posted without any explanation. I wish they would clarify the situation."
Experts point out that, with the recent Korean Wave and heightened interest in Korean cuisine?fueled by content such as the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters"?videos like this could potentially harm Korea's image. They emphasize the need for prompt action at the social media platform level, as well as efforts by users to correct misinformation by posting explanatory comments or clarifications.
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