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▲ © Gwak Hye-mi
[SPOTV News — Reporter Choi Sinea] Mosu Seoul, the fine-dining restaurant run by Chef Ahn Seong-jae, has apologized after a guest alleged it served the wrong wine during a pairing.
In an official statement on April 23, Mosu Seoul said, “On April 19, 2026, we failed to provide clear guidance to a guest during our wine-pairing service, which caused confusion. We also did not offer an adequate explanation in our follow-up, and we sincerely apologize for the disappointment this caused.”
The restaurant added, “After the incident, we offered a personal apology to the guest, which they graciously accepted. Still, we recognize that our response fell short of the standards our diners expect from us, and we take that very seriously.”
“Chef Ahn Seong-jae and the entire Mosu team are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness,” the statement continued. “We will review our service procedures and take steps to prevent a recurrence. We will not offer a perfunctory apology — we will work earnestly to rebuild our customers’ trust.”
“We apologize again to all the customers who continue to place their trust and support in Mosu Seoul,” the restaurant concluded.
The issue came to light after a post on an online forum, where a diner described a problem that occurred during a recent visit with friends.
The poster, identified only as A, said their party ordered Château Léoville Barton 2000, but the sommelier served a 2005 bottle. The bottle on the table was labeled “2000,” and A said the price difference between the two vintages was about 100,000 KRW (approximately 75 USD).
A said that when they asked to see the bottle to take a photo for their records, the sommelier presented the 2000 bottle instead of the 2005. A claimed that, unlike previous services where bottles were immediately shown at the table, the sommelier this time said “just a moment,” took the bottle into a staff area, then returned and placed a bottle on the table.
A eventually concluded that while the bottle displayed at the table was the 2000 vintage, the glass contained wine from 2005. After smelling and tasting the wine and checking the pairing list, A realized that the 2000 vintage should have been served.
When A asked for confirmation, the sommelier reportedly admitted the mistake, explaining that the 2000 bottle had been ordered by the bottle and had been taken down to the first floor. The sommelier said they then offered to serve the 2000 vintage by the glass so the guests could taste it.
▼ Below is Mosu Seoul’s full official statement.
Hello, this is Mosu Seoul.
We bow our heads and offer our sincere apologies regarding the matter that recently surfaced on online communities.
On April 19, 2026, during our wine-pairing service, we failed to provide accurate guidance to a guest, which caused confusion. We also did not provide sufficient explanation during our subsequent response, and we deeply apologize for the significant disappointment this caused.
After the incident, we apologized to the guest separately and they accepted our apology graciously. Nevertheless, we take seriously the fact that our response did not meet the expectations customers place on our restaurant.
Chef Ahn Seong-jae and the entire Mosu team are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness. We will review all related services and take measures to prevent a recurrence. We will not stop at a showy apology; we will sincerely work to rebuild trust with our customers.
We apologize once more to all customers who continue to trust and support Mosu Seoul.
April 23, 2026 — From everyone at Mosu Seoul
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