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Gwangju shop pulls menu name seen as disparaging May 18 uprising
Версия 2: Newer reports add details of the dish and its price, the shop's Instagram promotion of it, the owner's explicit denial of intent, and mention of past criticism of the same expression, while online criticism of the explanation continues.
Коротко
A bar-restaurant in Dongmyeong-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, sold a tteokgalbi dish topped with ketchup under the name “피떡갈비”, a term used in some online far-right communities to mock or belittle the May 18 Democratic Uprising. After a social media post drew criticism, the owner apologized, said the name had no meaning or intent, and deleted the menu item. The May 18 Memorial Foundation said responsibility cannot be avoided regardless of intent, and online criticism of the explanation continued.
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A bar-restaurant in Dongmyeong-dong, Dong-gu, in the city of Gwangju sold a menu item named “피떡갈비”, drawn from tteokgalbi grilled and topped with ketchup. Maeil Business reported the dish was three pieces of tteokgalbi with ketchup at 12,000 won and that the shop also used the term “피떡” when promoting the item on Instagram. The establishment opened the previous month, in September, according to Yonhap, Dong-A Ilbo and Maeil Business. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
The name drew attention on 6 October, when a post appeared on social media with a photo of the menu asking whether it was acceptable for a Gwangju bar to name a menu item that way, according to Yonhap. Yonhap reported that “피떡갈비” has been used in some online far-right communities as a term combining the word for the blood of the May 1980 Gwangju victims with tteokgalbi, a signature local dish, to mock or disparage the May 18 Democratic Uprising. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
As the criticism spread, the store posted an apology on social media. “I thought it would be good to express the same food differently, and I thought the words had no meaning,” the store said, according to Yonhap, adding that it deleted the menu item as soon as it learned it could be controversial and was sorry for causing discomfort. Maeil Business reported the owner also said, “I want to tell you that there was no intent at all,” and that after looking into it, the owner recognized the word could be controversial. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
The explanation did not end the criticism. Online users said it was difficult to see the name as a coincidence given that the word “blood” was attached to a food name and that red ketchup was poured over the tteokgalbi, Yonhap reported. Comments cited by Yonhap and Asia Economy included criticism of doing “this kind of prank” while doing business near the former South Jeolla provincial office, a symbolic site of the May 18 uprising. Maeil Business also reported past cases in which the expression drew criticism for insulting the victims and their families. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
The May 18 Memorial Foundation said the incident could not be treated as a simple naming mistake. Park Kang-bae, its standing director, said that in the case of the Starbucks Tank Day incident and in other cases, those involved explained they were acting to sell products or to cheer on their own side and raise the mood, “but the fact that victims were hurt does not change regardless of intent.” He added that whether someone knew or not, if they caused pain and hurt, they cannot avoid responsibility, according to Yonhap, a statement repeated by Asia Economy and Maeil Business. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
The reports did not say whether any official or legal step has been taken over the menu name, and none of the documents state the store's intent beyond its own apology. Newsis and Seoul Shinmun described the business as a drinking spot while Yonhap and other outlets called it a restaurant. The controversy centres on a single menu item that has since been deleted, in a city where the May 18 Democratic Uprising remains a sensitive civic symbol. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Почему это важно
The May 18 Democratic Uprising remains a symbolically charged event in Gwangju, and the documents show criticism tying a newly opened local business to a term used online to mock its victims. The May 18 Memorial Foundation's intervention, as cited by Yonhap and picked up by other outlets, indicates the dispute is being treated as more than a single menu item, though the documents describe no regulatory or legal step.
Ключевые факты
- A bar-restaurant in Dongmyeong-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, sold a menu item named “피떡갈비”, consisting of tteokgalbi topped with ketchup. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The item was priced at 12,000 won and described as three pieces of grilled tteokgalbi with ketchup; the shop also used the term “피떡” when promoting it on Instagram. [ 6 ]
- The term “피떡갈비” has been used in some online far-right communities to mock or disparage the May 18 Democratic Uprising by combining the word for blood with the region's signature dish. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The shop had opened the previous month, in September. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- A social media post on 6 October showed the menu and asked whether it was acceptable for a Gwangju bar to name a menu item that way. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The store posted an apology saying it thought the expression had no meaning, said it deleted the item once it learned it could be controversial, and stated it had no intent. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- May 18 Memorial Foundation standing director Park Kang-bae said that whether someone knew or not, responsibility cannot be avoided if pain and hurt were caused. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- Online commenters said it was hard to accept the name was chosen by coincidence, citing the word “blood” and the red ketchup on the tteokgalbi. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- A Gwangju food business sold a menu item named “피떡갈비”, drawing online controversy, and the store apologized and deleted the item. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The term “피떡갈비” has been used in some online far-right communities as a way of mocking or disparaging the May 18 Democratic Uprising. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The May 18 Memorial Foundation said the incident cannot be treated as a simple naming mistake and that intent does not remove responsibility for harm. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The controversy began with a social media post on 6 October showing the menu and questioning the name. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Пока неясно
- Whether the menu name was intended as a reference to the May 18 Democratic Uprising. The store said it did not know the meaning and had no intent, while online commenters disputed that; no document confirms intent.
- Any regulatory or legal follow-up against the store. No document mentions an investigation, complaint or official action.
- Whether the establishment is a bar or a restaurant. Newsis and Seoul Shinmun describe it as a 술집 (bar) while Yonhap and others call it a 음식점 (restaurant).
- The name of the business and the identity of the owner. None of the documents name the establishment or the owner.
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- Seoul Shinmun publishes a report on the Gwangju drinking establishment's menu name and the resulting controversy. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reports that the establishment bowed to criticism over the name and posted an apology; the article is updated at 14:40. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap reports the owner said he did not know the meaning and includes the May 18 Memorial Foundation's response. [ 3 ]
- Asia Economy reports the store's apology and the continued criticism, citing Yonhap. [ 4 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports the store said it did not know the name could be controversial and deleted the menu. [ 5 ]
- Maeil Business reports the price, Instagram promotion and the owner's statement that there was no intent, along with continued criticism. [ 6 ]