Korean Restaurant in Romania Decorated With Rising Sun Flag: "Owner Likely Not Korean"

Seo Kyungduk: "Spreading Inaccurate Culture... It Must Be Corrected"

A Korean restaurant that recently opened in Cluj-Napoca, the second largest city in Romania, is facing controversy for using Japanese-style interior design and the Rising Sun flag.

A Korean restaurant in Romania is facing controversy for using Japanese-style interior design and the Rising Sun flag. Professor Seo Kyungduk

Professor Seo Kyungduk of Sungshin Women’s University stated on September 9, "We confirmed this after receiving reports from Korean residents in Romania. The restaurant is called 'Bite me Korea' and mainly serves Korean-style hot dogs." However, he pointed out that the interior is decorated in a Japanese style and, more importantly, features the Rising Sun flag, a symbol of Japanese militarism, which is a serious issue.

Professor Seo emphasized, "As the Korean Wave spreads worldwide, Korean restaurants with inaccurate interiors can cause misunderstandings among local people."

He also noted, "There are serious problems with Chinese owners running Korean restaurants in Europe," adding, "We have received continuous reports about Chinese-style interiors and numerous incorrect Korean spellings on the menus." He continued, "The owners of these restaurants are likely not Korean. While it is inevitable that locals use the Korean Wave for business, it is essential to point out and correct the spread of inaccurate Korean culture."

Additionally, he said, "Thanks to the Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' Korean restaurants serving dishes like gimbap and ramen are gaining more global attention," and added, "We will continue to raise objections to these inaccurate Korean restaurants to ensure that their mistakes are corrected."