Spotted Dining Alone at a Famous Ramen Shop in Kyoto, Japan
"Chairman Waiting in Line?"
"How Good Must It Be?"?Sparking Buzz Online
A video capturing a man presumed to be Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, dining alone at a ramen shop in Kyoto, Japan, has recently become a hot topic online. After footage was released showing him enjoying a meal by himself at a small restaurant without any entourage, internet users reacted by saying, "Surprisingly down-to-earth," and "He seems very approachable."
Last April, a man presumed to be Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, was spotted dining alone at a cozy ramen shop in Kyoto, Japan, which recently became a hot topic online. YouTube channel 'Fogmin'
On the 26th, various online communities began to pay attention to a Kyoto travel video uploaded last September by travel YouTuber 'Pogmin.' In the video, the YouTuber visits a cozy ramen shop near Kyoto Station.
This small restaurant is famous for its ramen and rice dishes made with clam broth, and is always busy with both locals and tourists, often requiring customers to wait in line. The YouTuber introduced the place by saying, "I've always been curious because there is always a line."
"Why is the Chairman here?"... A familiar face at the counter seat
While eating ramen, the YouTuber noticed a man sitting at the counter behind him and reacted with surprise. After hearing a comment from his companion and turning around, he appeared visibly startled, saying, "Why is he here?"-a moment that was captured in the video.
The YouTuber said, "Perhaps he had some business in Japan, as he was quietly eating ramen alone," and added, "I wanted to say hello, but I thought it might be disruptive, so I didn't. Meeting him at a small ramen shop in Kyoto at the same time was even more surprising than running into a celebrity." He also commented, "If the Chairman comes here to eat alone, it must be a restaurant even he approves of."
As the video spread, online users increasingly speculated that the man was indeed Chairman Lee. They pointed out that his facial features without glasses, his graying hair, and his outfit-a dress shirt with a lightweight padded vest-closely resembled Lee's usual appearance. In particular, since the video was filmed around late March to early April, when cherry blossoms bloom, and Lee reportedly visited Japan for an eight-day business trip in early April last year, these details have added weight to the speculation.
Price list of a ramen shop in Kyoto, Japan, where Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is speculated to have dined alone. A bowl of ramen is sold for 950 to 1200 yen (approximately 9,000 to 11,000 won). YouTube channel 'Pogmin'
Menu board draws attention
The restaurant's menu board has also attracted interest. According to the menu, the signature clam broth ramen is reasonably priced at 950 to 1,200 yen (about 9,000 to 11,000 won). The rice dishes with clams and the basic rice bowl are also affordable, priced at 150 to 200 yen. After seeing this, internet users commented, "Even the Chairman eats ramen for 10,000 won," "If Lee Jae-yong eats a 10,000-won meal, who am I to complain," "So down-to-earth and approachable," and "He seems very friendly."
Other reactions included, "Even a chaebol chairman waits in line," "That place will be a waiting hell now," "He looks just like Lee Kun-hee," "He looks even more like him without glasses," "I'm going to get some Lee Jae-yong energy," and "This will become a must-visit spot for Koreans traveling to Kyoto."
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