Yu Bibim, known as the “Bibim King” from Netflix’s hit show ‘Culinary Class Wars’, has officially reopened his doors with a new restaurant, sparking a heated debate among the public.
A video showcasing Yu Bibim’s new spot near the Hanok Village in Wansan-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, has recently been going viral online.
In the clip, Yu Bibim greets guests while dressed in a striking red royal robe. Introducing himself as “the sushi master of Japan and the bibim master of Korea,” he treated customers to his signature ‘Bibim Song’ performance.
The menu features items like ‘Real Bibimbap’ and spicy pork. Notably, the ‘Real Bibimbap’—which keeps the concept he showcased on ‘Culinary Class Wars’—is priced at 25,000 KRW.
Yu Bibim caught everyone’s attention by performing his “Bibibibi” chant while mixing the food and giving his own dishes a score of “120 points.”
However, the online reaction has been intense. Some netizens expressed cold views, commenting, “It’s bold to start business again after that controversy,” “It feels like you’re paying for the performance rather than the bibimbap,” “The price is too high,” and “It looks chaotic just watching it.”
On the other hand, some supporters shared, “He has a very clear character,” “It seems like it would be a fun stop for Jeonju tourism,” and “Since he’s starting over legally, let’s give him a chance.”
Previously, Yu Bibim gained massive attention for his strong personality as the “Bibim King” on the 2024 Netflix variety show ‘Culinary Class Wars: Class War’. He especially went viral for singing while mixing bibimbap in front of judge Baek Jong-won.
But after the broadcast, Yu Bibim faced backlash after confessing his past illegal business activities on his personal account. He revealed, “I operated a restaurant in an unlicensed location since 2003, was arrested, and received a suspended sentence.”
He also apologized, stating, “I continued to operate through a loophole by registering the business under my wife’s name,” and added, “Breaking the law cannot be justified for any reason.”
In fact, he had been punished several times for operating without a report on state-owned land and was sentenced to probation for violating the Food Sanitation Act in 2015.
After closing his previous restaurant, he announced plans to move to the Hanok Village, promising to “repay customers with the best ingredients legally.” He has now officially returned to business with his new restaurant.
