Chef Ahn Sung-jae, who posted a compilation of late-night snack menu recipes on his YouTube channel right after the apology statement. His YouTube channel

Chef Ahn Sung-jae, who gained broad recognition through the Netflix variety show ‘Culinary Class Wars’, has finally bowed his head over the ‘wine switch’ controversy at the fine-dining restaurant Mosu Seoul that he operates. However, immediately after the apology statement was posted, he uploaded a video to his personal YouTube channel, and public sentiment flared up again.

On the 6th, Ahn posted on his social networking service (SNS), Instagram: “I once again offer my sincere apology for the disappointment caused by inadequate service at Mosu,” and he detailed the sequence of events. It came 18 days after the incident occurred.

According to his account, among four customers who visited on April 18, in the wine pairing ordered by one of them, the responsible sommelier mistakenly served the 2005 vintage instead of the 2000 vintage of ‘Chateau Leoville Barton’. When the customer requested a photo of the label, a 2000-vintage bottle different from the wine actually served was brought and shown.

The price difference between the 2000 and 2005 vintages is about $75 (100,000 KRW). Ahn said he required the sommelier to submit a written account and removed the person from the position in charge of guest wine service.

Ahn said, “(That sommelier) responded in a highly inappropriate manner by speaking off the cuff with statements entirely at odds with the facts. It was plainly untrue and inappropriate,” and added, “As the owner-chef who bears ultimate responsibility for Mosu to all customers, I promise to manage rigorously and do everything possible to ensure that an incident like this does not recur.”

Earlier, Mosu Seoul posted an apology over the ‘wine switch’ controversy, but because it made no direct mention of the issue, criticism arose that it was a half-hearted apology. In the end, Ahn posted an apology under his own name.

Immediately after the apology was posted, Ahn's YouTube channel released a video that day titled ‘Four late-night snack menus recommended for a peckish evening’. As a highlight reel re-edited from existing content rather than a new shoot was released, it was interpreted as a decision made with the controversy in mind. The production team wrote in the notice section, “Today's scheduled content has been replaced with a late-night menu highlights video.”

Soon after the video was released, some viewers reacted, “Why post something like this of all times?” and “It does not seem like the right timing to upload a video now.” Messages of support such as “Cheering you on” also followed. As of the afternoon of the 6th, the latest video on the channel had more than about 2,400 ‘dislikes’, while ‘likes’ stood at around a little over 300. Considering it is a popular channel with about 1.25 million subscribers, the figures are unusual.

Ahn's channel has regularly uploaded content every Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. This video also appears to have been posted according to the regular schedule, but because it followed immediately after Ahn's apology statement, the prevailing view is that it was inappropriate.

Mosu Seoul, run by Ahn, received the country's only Michelin three stars in 2024, then after relocation·a closure returned with two stars in the 2026 guide. The cost per person is about $315 (420,000 KRW).