Urban Zakapa member Park Yong-in has appeared in appellate court amid the so-called Butter Beer false advertising controversy.
On the 29th, the 3rd Criminal Division of the Seoul Eastern District Court held the first hearing in Park's appeal on charges of violating the Food Labeling and Advertising Act. Prosecutors asked the court to overturn the first-instance ruling and requested a one-year prison sentence, arguing that the ads were false or exaggerated toward many consumers and that the related profits were significant.
In court, Park acknowledged the facts but maintained there was no intent to deceive. In his final statement, he apologized, saying, "I'm sorry for causing trouble." The appellate verdict is scheduled for June 26.
In February, the trial court sentenced Park to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. It also fined Virture Company, where Park serves as CEO, 10 million won. Prosecutors appealed the decision, sending the case to the appellate court.
The case began with allegations that the company Park leads promoted its Beurre (BEURRE) beer between May 2022 and January of last year as 'Butter Beer' and 'BUTTER BEER' even though real butter was not used as an ingredient. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety determined that such wording could mislead consumers into believing butter was actually included and referred the case to the police in 2023.
Park's side has argued the phrasing was marketing language to describe flavor rather than actual ingredients. They said they used terms like "buttery flavor" to highlight a smooth, rich taste, while listing the ingredients in compliance with relevant regulations.
However, the trial court found a high likelihood that consumers could mistake the product for beer containing real butter, given Park's public profile, the product name, and the ad copy. The court also noted that even though they could have made it sufficiently clear that butter was not included, the company shared inaccurate information in a statement after the controversy erupted.
Once a convenience-store sensation, the Butter Beer dispute now faces a decisive moment on appeal as the public watches for the outcome.