Chef Lim Seong-geun Opens Restaurant Following Criminal Record Controversy

Chef Lim Seong-geun, who halted his broadcasting career due to past criminal records including drunk driving, has announced the opening of a new restaurant.

On July 5, Chef Lim shared the news on his YouTube channel that he is opening a restaurant near Simhaksan Mountain in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

He also released photos of the three-story building, which features a restaurant on the first and second floors and a cafe on the third floor.

Chef Lim gained fame as the winner of the 2015 tvN show "Korean Food Battle 3" and appeared on the Netflix series "Culinary Class Wars 2" last year. However, he faced controversy early this year when he admitted on his YouTube channel that he had been punished for drunk driving on three separate occasions.

Additionally, his history of further drunk driving and driving without a license, as well as a fine for mutual assault, were brought to light.

Following criticism for hiding his criminal record, he stated, "I will stop other activities such as advertising and broadcasting appearances and focus solely on cooking."

Having effectively been removed from the broadcasting industry, his update on opening a restaurant just months later has drawn mixed reactions from netizens.

Some commented, "He didn't disclose his criminal record voluntarily but only admitted it after media inquiries began, and despite saying he would stop broadcasting, he continued to appear on home shopping channels. It is shameless of him to promote his restaurant." On the other hand, others argued, "He has served his punishments and even offered a sincere apology. What is the problem with him working in his primary profession?"

Chef Lim stated on his social media, "As you have waited for a long time, I will repay you with sincerity and the best taste in every bowl and every dish."

Reported by Kim Ji-hye | Video by Kim Bok-hyung | Graphics by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.