"I Thought Lunar New Year Food Might Feel Greasy"... "Black & White Chef" Im Seonggeun Returns to YouTube

"Imjjang-style" Buldak Stir-fried Ramen Recipe Revealed
No Mention of the Controversy

A video uploaded by Chef Im Seonggeun to his YouTube channel 'Imjjang TV' on the 18th. Screenshot from Imjjang TV's YouTube channel.

Chef Im Seonggeun, who received a lot of love for his appearance on the Netflix cooking show "Black & White Chef 2," had halted his broadcasting activities due to controversy over his criminal record, including drunk driving, but recently returned through a YouTube video.

On the 18th, Im Seonggeun uploaded a 2-minute and 14-second video titled "I prepared this because you might feel greasy after eating Lunar New Year food" on his YouTube channel "Im Seonggeun Imjjang TV." He introduced a recipe for "Imjjang-style Buldak Stir-fried Noodles" that can be made with just two packs of instant ramen. He did not make any particular mention of his controversies, nor did he reveal when the video was filmed.

It was belatedly revealed that Im Seonggeun had six prior convictions, including being caught four times for drunk driving and involvement in an assault case, which drew criticism. On January 21, he suspended his broadcasting activities, stating that he would "accept any criticism," and did not upload any YouTube videos for about a month. He resumed on February 13 by posting a recipe video reinterpreting "Dubai Chewy Cookies."

He also denied rumors that the restaurant he is preparing to open in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, was closing down, calling them "groundless." On February 3, Chef Im told Ilgan Sports over the phone, "The (rumor that the Paju restaurant is up for sale) is not true. The angle of the photo just came out strangely," adding, "The neighboring building is the one that was put up for sale, and they put up a fence there and marked it with a 'for sale' banner."

Online users appear to be cheering on Chef Im Seonggeun's return. In the comments on the video, they wrote reactions such as "I'm so happy you're back," "I hope your restaurant opens soon," and "Even if you don't appear on TV, it's enough if your restaurant and YouTube channel are a huge success."