[Captured from JTBC Sageon Banjang]
[Captured from JTBC Sageon Banjang]

A well-known Chinese influencer has drawn widespread anger after mocking and denigrating a Korean restaurant owner in Chinese while the owner smiled and waved, unaware of what was being said.

JTBC's Sageon Banjang, a TV news magazine program, reported Tuesday that a Chinese tourist identified as A recently posted a video on social media filmed inside a restaurant in South Korea.

In the footage, A eats and speaks directly to the camera in Chinese, saying, "This food is really terrible. I've never eaten anything this bad in my entire life," and adding, "It's mealtime and there's not a single customer here. Ugh, I'm never coming back."

When A pointed the camera at the restaurant owner, the owner — who speaks only Korean and could not understand the Chinese remarks — smiled warmly and waved back. The video captured what appeared to be a deliberate act of deception, exploiting the owner's goodwill from behind a language barrier.

A was identified as a Chinese influencer with 610,000 social media followers. The same person had earlier sparked controversy by filming a video in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace, wearing hanbok while dancing and promoting jianbing, a Chinese street food.


123@heraldcorp.com