Jun Hyun-moo faces backlash for recommending restaurant he never visited

During the August 28 broadcast of JTBC's 'Talk Pa One 25 O'Clock' in Istanbul, Türkiye, Jun Hyun-moo faced criticism from cast members after confessing he had never actually visited the restaurant he had been confidently recommending.

Jun Hyun-moo faced intense protests from his colleagues after confidently recommending a famous restaurant he had never actually visited, only to later confess his true identity. While introducing a star chef's establishment and making remarks that seemed to guarantee its quality, it was revealed that he had never stepped foot in the venue. The cast members expressed their disbelief, with the cast saying they were "completely deceived," and Im Woo-il remarked that the action "deserves punishment." Following recent production controversies surrounding variety show situations, Jun Hyun-moo once again drew both laughter and resentment with this unexpected moment.

In the episode of JTBC's 'Talk Pa One 25 O'Clock' broadcast on the 28th, Jun Hyun-moo and MeatMan engaged in a gourmet battle in Istanbul, Türkiye, putting their culinary pride on the line. For the final restaurant of the competition, Jun Hyun-moo introduced a restaurant operated by the famous Turkish chef Burak Özdemir. Expectations among the cast rose as the venue is known to be frequented by world-famous celebrities.

Yang Se-chan also expressed familiarity upon recognizing the chef, who is famous for videos where he smiles brightly while looking at the camera during cooking. "I know this person. Isn't he the one who cooks while smiling?" Yang Se-chan said, expressing curiosity about the food. In response, Jun Hyun-moo confidently countered, "If the food isn't good, you can't build a building," making a statement that appeared to guarantee the taste based on the restaurant's fame and scale.

A correspondent visiting the local restaurant listed the names of famous figures who have visited the establishment. When the correspondent mentioned that many truly famous people like Will Smith, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi had visited, Im Woo-il reacted by saying, "It must be incredibly expensive." Kim Sook also shared her own experience, explaining, "It feels like Apgujeong Rodeo. People arrive in expensive cars, and I just walk. They come wearing suits and dresses." The moment saw rising expectations for the luxurious atmosphere and pricing.

Jun Hyun-moo also suggested that one should spend boldly at least once during a trip, claiming, "You have to spend money for at least one day for a trip to be memorable," appearing to recommend visiting high-end restaurants. During the broadcast, the correspondent also had the fortune of meeting Burak Özdemir directly. The chef showcased a menu where he writes customers' names on bread and provided friendly fan service, such as making a finger heart, saying he learned it from a Korean friend.

The evaluation of the lamb rice tasted on-site was positive. The correspondent expressed satisfaction, saying, "The lamb is so tender. You don't even need to chew. The scent isn't too strong." When Im Woo-il asked if the dish was soy sauce-based out of curiosity about the flavor, Jun Hyun-moo began to explain, saying, "The lamb with butter..." However, he soon quietly confessed, "I haven't been there. It's a place I'm seeing for the first time," causing the studio to instantly descend into chaos.

As it was revealed that Jun Hyun-moo, who had been confidently guaranteeing the taste, had never actually visited the restaurant, the cast reacted with absurdity. Im Woo-il was flabbergasted, stating, "This deserves punishment," while Kim Sook expressed her anger by even mimicking grabbing Jun Hyun-moo by the collar. Yang Se-chan also questioned the reason for the recommendation, asking, "Why did you tell us to go there?" From the cast's perspective, they believed he was introducing a restaurant he had personally experienced, only for a completely different fact to be revealed later.

Jun Hyun-moo explained, "Because it's hot on SNS. It's a place I want to go." He meant that rather than recommending a restaurant he had actually visited, he was introducing a place that was a hot topic online and that he personally wished to visit. Ultimately, his recommendation was not a restaurant review based on experience, but an introduction to a place of interest, leading the cast to lament that they were "completely deceived." While the moment prioritized variety show entertainment over the reliability of restaurant information, Jun Hyun-moo's confident attitude and late confession amplified the laughter.

In August, Jun Hyun-moo was embroiled in a production controversy after his impromptu trip to Kazakhstan on MBC's 'I Live Alone' faced suspicions of being a pre-planned trip. While this restaurant recommendation on 'Talk Pa One 25 O'Clock' occurs in a different context, the gap between the behavior shown on broadcast and actual experience has once again become a topic of discussion. However, as this scene was a variety show situation where Jun Hyun-moo directly admitted he had not visited, it cannot be concluded to be the same issue as the previous travel production controversy.

Ultimately, the gourmet battle surrounding the famous restaurant in Istanbul left a scene that will be remembered as much for Jun Hyun-moo's "fake experience" happening as for the food evaluation. There is a clear distinction between introducing a restaurant that is a hot topic on SNS and recommending one after tasting it personally. Jun Hyun-moo's honest confession triggered laughter while simultaneously demonstrating how important the accuracy of experience and information is in broadcasts that introduce restaurants.

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