Controversy over 'Fatty Pork Belly' in Ulleungdo Follow-Up Measures
According to a report by Asia Economy on the 26th, a restaurant in Ulleungdo has received the region's first business suspension order starting from the 25th due to the 'Fatty Pork Belly' controversy that gained attention on YouTube.
The Ulleung County government has taken strong measures to suspend the restaurant's operations until the end of July.
This incident began with a video titled "Is Ulleungdo Really Like This? I Was Very Confused on My First Visit," published on the 19th by travel YouTuber 'kkujun,' who has about 530,000 subscribers.
The YouTuber raised an issue stating that despite paying 15,000 won for a single serving (120g) at a meat restaurant in Ulleungdo, more than half of the meat he was served was fat, and it was actually shoulder meat, not pork belly.
More than half was fat, and it was actually shoulder meat, not pork belly.
The video recorded over 1.1 million views within two days of its release, and three days later, it surpassed 2 million views, causing significant controversy.
Ulleung County's Prompt Response and Future Plans
The restaurant claimed through broadcasting that a staff member mistakenly provided shoulder meat intended for stew, but Ulleung County immediately began an onsite investigation.
Previously, Mayor Nam Han-gwon of Ulleung County issued an apology via social media and the county's website as the controversy spread, and he is personally conducting hygiene inspections of nearby restaurants and lodging establishments with a self-inspection team.
Mayor Nam emphasized, "This fatty pork belly incident is directly related to the credibility of Ulleungdo tourism," and stated, "The county will strengthen its hygiene management system to create an environment where both residents and tourists can feel safe."
As a result of this incident, Ulleung County plans to expand regular and unannounced hygiene inspections of all establishments, including general restaurants, snack bars, and lodging facilities, by the end of August.
Through this, they intend to restore Ulleungdo's image as a tourist destination and create an environment that provides trust to visitors.
Image source: youtube kkujun, image.png
