Culinary Class Wars’ Image at Risk: Chefs Kang and Lee in the Spotlight Over Scandals
Oct 30, 2024
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Chef Kang Seung-won (Triple Star), who recently gained attention on 'Culinary Class Wars,' faced public backlash on the 30th due to allegations involving privacy breaches, job lobbying, and verbal abuse toward his ex-lover. Kang's ex-wife, A, claimed he used luxury gifts to lobby for a job at a renowned restaurant in the United States, leveraging his connections. In response, Chef Kang denied these allegations, asserting that "employment is based on skills."
A also disclosed a letter of apology written by Chef Kang, revealing shocking content, including statements like, "I secretly watched a female customer dressed in revealing clothing on CCTV," and self-deprecating remarks such as, "I like women and I am greedy garbage." Furthermore, another woman, B, accused him of mistreatment during their relationship.
Chef Kang explained that his position in the Michelin-starred restaurant began with an unpaid internship, not lobbying, and he dismissed his relationship with B, stating, "I simply stopped contacting her because we had different perspectives."
Chef Lee Young-sook, who appeared on the same program 'Korean Food Battle 2,' is also facing controversy over a debt of 100 million won. Reports indicate that Chef Lee had a legal dispute in 2010 with a bereaved family for failing to repay money borrowed from a union leader. Despite a court order for repayment, the debt remains unsettled. Additionally, criticism has arisen regarding his failure to return the 100 million won prize money from 'Korean Food Battle 2' in 2014.
Chef Lee argued that "some of the amount has already been repaid," but the controversy continues to escalate.
Given the program's popularity, the fallout from 'Culinary Class Wars' is significant. With Season 2 confirmed, it is clear that a more rigorous vetting process for the cast will be necessary moving forward.
mj.cho@sportschosun.com
