Ahn Sung-jae's 'Mosu' in controversy again... "I left my car with valet parking and got a fine — that's legendary" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Chef Ahn Sung-jae's Michelin two-star restaurant 'Mosu Seoul' has become embroiled in rumors claiming it "charged customers a fine after they used valet parking," separate from the ongoing controversy over wine substitution.

On the 20th, onLINE, a netizen posted, "I visited Mosu," adding, "Leaving my car with valet parking and getting fined is legendary."

The same netizen also shared photos verifying their visit to Mosu and an official notice identifying the vehicle subject to the fine.

Due to the absurd nature of the incident, many people took interest, and on the 21st, the netizen explained the situation: "Update on Mosu. Received a gift certificate... The valet parking incident from last year still hasn't been resolved."

Mosu had previously experienced a valet parking accident last year. According to TV Chosun in May, the incident occurred on December 4 of last year. While moving a customer's vehicle that had visited Mosu Seoul, a valet parking employee slipped on snow-covered alleyway and collided with a wall. The vehicle reportedly spun about half a circle after the collision before coming to a stop.

Immediately after the accident, a Mosu representative promised the affected customer that the matter would be handled. The valet parking company initially paid 20 million won to a repair shop under the guise of vehicle repair costs. However, during the repair process, the total estimate reportedly rose to around 70 million won, complicating the compensation issue.

A Mosu Seoul representative was reported to have told the affected customer in conversation: "We are also very sorry, but it seems there is nothing we can do," and added, "Legally, filing a lawsuit might be your best option."

Ultimately, although three months had passed since the vehicle repairs were completed, the repair costs remained unsettled, leading affected customer A to claim they still have not received their vehicle. In response, Mosu stated: "In principle, we believe the valet parking company should bear responsibility for the accident," and added, "However, we will do our utmost through negotiations with the valet parking company to ensure the customer receives reasonable compensation."

Mosu Seoul is known to have no dedicated parking space, so most visitors rely on its valet parking service.

Earlier in April, Mosu Seoul, led by Chef Ahn Sung-jae, faced major controversy over a sommelier's alleged wine substitution. According to the affected customer, a 2000 vintage wine was supposed to be served, but instead, a 2005 product priced about 100,000 won cheaper was provided. When the customer noticed this late and protested to the assigned sommelier, the response — rather than an apology — was "Then we'll let you taste the 2000 vintage as well," further fueling the controversy.

In addition, Mosu Seoul issued a statement that appeared to engage in a blame game regarding the customer's disclosure: "After the incident occurred, we personally apologized to the customer, who accepted it generously. However, considering the expectations you placed on our restaurant, we recognize that this process was insufficient and take it seriously."

Ultimately, Mosu Seoul faced backlash as more allegations emerged, including: "I remember the person I went with never said sorry until the end," "As someone who also had an unpleasant experience at Mosu, the most puzzling part of their service was that even though I pointed out the problem immediately, there was no apology, and they asked whether to resolve it or not. The most important cause of the incident is missing from this statement. Why did this happen? When did you become aware of the problem? Was it intentional or a mistake?" and "On July 8 last year, I visited with my wife's parents for four people to celebrate my wife's childbirth, but only two pairing wines were served, and Dom Pérignon was removed midway."

In response, Chef Ahn Sung-jae later, in May, bowed his head and stated: "We have submitted a statement of facts according to company regulations, and we are taking measures to exclude the sommelier responsible for customers' wines from their position going forward."

Meanwhile, Chef Ahn Sung-jae gained wider recognition by serving as a judge on seasons 1 and 2 of the OTT Netflix variety show 'Black and White Cooking: Culinary Class War,' alongside culinary expert Baek Jong-won.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.