Chinese Influencer Slammed for Mocking Korean Food to Restaurant Owner's Face
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A Chinese internet celebrity has ignited a firestorm of criticism after posting a video filmed inside a South Korean restaurant where he gleefully interacted with the female owner while repeatedly bashing the food in Mandarin—a language she could not understand. The influencer, who boasts more than 610,000 followers on social media, can be seen in the footage smiling warmly at the camera while telling his audience that the dishes were "truly terrible" and that he had "never eaten anything this bad in his entire life." The restaurant owner, oblivious to the insults, smiled back and engaged with the camera, even posing for photographs with the man. The video went viral on both Chinese and South Korean platforms, drawing widespread condemnation and prompting South Korean broadcaster JTBC to cover the incident on its program "Incident Captain."
Key Points
- The influencer filmed the video at a South Korean restaurant, smiling and posing with the female owner while insulting the food in Mandarin
- He said in Mandarin: "Boss, this dish is truly terrible; I've never eaten anything this bad in my life" while the owner smiled back
- He also filmed the nearly empty restaurant to highlight the establishment's poor business, and cheerfully told the owner in Mandarin: "I won't come back next time!"
- The influencer has over 610,000 followers and previously wore Korean traditional hanbok at Gyeongbokgung Palace to promote Chinese pancakes
- South Korean media JTBC reported the incident, noting the behavior appeared designed to humiliate South Korea rather than appreciate its culture
Why It Matters
The incident underscores growing concerns about the behavior of Chinese content creators abroad, as the influencer exploited the language barrier to publicly mock his host—a breach of basic decency that has damaged China's international image. As tourism between China and South Korea continues to recover, such incidents risk fueling nationalist tensions and reciprocal backlash against visitors from both nations.
The incident underscores growing concerns about the behavior of Chinese content creators abroad, as the influencer exploited the language barrier to publicly mock his host—a breach of basic decency that has damaged China's international image. As tourism between China and South Korea continues to recover, such incidents risk fueling nationalist tensions and reciprocal backlash against visitors from both nations.