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Michelin-starred restaurant Mosu Seoul apologizes after serving customer different wine than promised

Published: 24 Apr. 2026, 13:15 Updated: 26 Apr. 2026, 17:01

Star chef Anh Sung-jae [NEWS1]

Mosu Seoul, a Michelin-starred restaurant, has come under fire for using a less expensive wine for a course, resulting in the restaurant releasing an apology on Thursday.

According to a post shared on an online community, a customer who visited the fine dining restaurant run by head chef Anh Sung-jae, claimed that they were served a different wine than the one originally promised as part of a course.

The customer said that they dined with acquaintances and were supposed to be served a 2000 vintage wine with the main course, but they instead received a 2005 vintage. The two wines reportedly have a price difference of more than 100,000 won ($67).

After noticing the 2005 vintage’s aroma and taste, the customer asked to confirm which wine they had been served, and the sommelier acknowledged that a different wine than the one included with the course had been served. According to the customer, the sommelier then explained that the 2000 vintage, located on another floor, is ordered by the bottle, and offered to bring it to the customer and their acquaintances.

When the customer later requested to take a photo of the wine, the staff brought out a bottle of the 2000 vintage, leading the customer to believe that the restaurant may have been aware of the issue earlier. They also criticized the restaurant’s response, alleging that no apology was offered at the time, and described the situation as disappointing for an establishment with two Michelin stars.

The controversy spread online and raised questions about the restaurant’s service.

As a result, Mosu Seoul issued an apology via its official Instagram account on Thursday, writing, “We sincerely apologize for the matter that recently came to light through online communities.”

The restaurant stated that during a wine-pairing service on Sunday, it failed to provide accurate information to the customer, which caused miscommunication between them and the staff, and that its subsequent response lacked clarity.

“We deeply apologize for significantly disappointing [our customers],” the restaurant said. “We have apologized separately to the customer, who accepted the apology, but we are fully aware that our [initial] response fell short of expectations.”

“The entire Mosu team, including chef Anh Sung-jae, takes this matter very seriously,” the restaurant continued, pledging to review its overall service and prevent similar incidents from happening again. “We will not stop at a superficial apology but will sincerely strive to rebuild your trust [in us].”

Mosu Seoul first opened in 2017 and was named the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Korea in 2023 before closing due to having to relocate. It reopened in Itaewon, central Seoul, in March last year and regained two Michelin stars this March. Dinner costs about 420,000 won per person.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]