A wine service dispute at Mosu, a Michelin three-star fine-dining restaurant run by chef Ahn Sung-jae, has drawn attention online after the restaurant posted an apology and commenters criticized it.
A customer, identified only as A, wrote in a Naver cafe that they ordered an expensive wine at Mosuseoul but were served a different vintage. A said the sommelier held up a bottle and described it as a “2005” vintage, but after tasting the wine and checking the pairing list, the customer realized the service should have been a 2000 vintage.
Mosuseoul posted an apology on its official social media account on the 23rd, saying it “bows its head in apology” over the matter circulated in online communities.
The restaurant said that on the 19th, during a wine pairing service, “accurate guidance was not provided,” causing confusion, and that staff also failed to give a sufficient explanation afterward, leading to “great disappointment.” It said it separately apologized to the customer and that the customer accepted it, but added that the restaurant views its response as still inadequate given the expectations placed on it.
Mosu said the entire team, including Ahn, is taking the issue seriously, will review overall service procedures and promised steps to prevent a recurrence. It said it would not stop at a “showy apology” and would work to rebuild trust with customers.
Many commenters reacted negatively to the statement, saying it avoided clearly stating what happened and offered no specific prevention measures. Some also criticized the line that the customer “accepted” the apology, saying it sounded dismissive of public concern.
One commenter wrote that the apology did not specify what was done wrong, did not explain how recurrence would be prevented, and did not mention any action against the employee involved. Another said the issue appeared to be about trust, not simply an “information” problem.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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