The Netflix cooking survival series Culinary Class Wars catapulted Korean cuisine master craftsman chef Im Sung-geun to mainstream fame, but after he admitted to being caught driving under the influence three times in the past, the broadcast industry is swiftly cutting ties. MBC variety show Omniscient Interfering View had already released a teaser but announced it would revisit his appearance; JTBC's Knowing Bros and KBS2's Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant canceled filming. Home shopping channels plan to air his pre-recorded segments one last time before effectively parting ways.
His popularity drop was immediate in the numbers. His nearly 980,000 YouTube subscribers plunged after the DUI confession, falling to the 960,000 range as of the morning of the 20th. The issue has snowballed beyond simply admitting a past mistake, sparking a fierce debate over whether the timing and manner of his confession were sincere.
On the 18th, Im revealed on his YouTube channel, "I drove under the influence three times in the past. The most recent incident was about five to six years ago." In a handwritten apology posted soon after, he added, "I realized it wasn't right to keep working while hiding my past just because I was intoxicated by fans' support," and expressed remorse.
However, Ilyo Shinmun reported that when Im was caught in 2020, his blood alcohol concentration was 0.141%—well above the license revocation threshold—and that he actually drove for about 200 meters, further fueling the controversy. After his team told the outlet, "We'll meet on the 20th to explain in person," he uploaded the confession video—prompting accusations that it was a preemptive apology to get ahead of the press. Questions also arose over whether he "downplayed" his history, given that he had previously received fines in 2009 and 2017.
The backlash didn't stop there. Just before his DUI confession, Im posted an ad for a major whisky brand, drawing criticism that his apology clashed with ongoing commercial activities. The video has since been set to private. Claims also surfaced—"Everyone in the food industry knows"—accusing him of so-called 'gapjil' (power-tripping) toward business partners, further escalating the fallout. Im's side has firmly denied the gapjil allegations as "groundless."
Amid mounting public pressure, Im apologized again in social media comments: "I realized that a single word can hurt someone," and "I believe I should own up to my wrongdoing without hiding it." He even mentioned why he got his tattoos, saying, "Everything is my fault," and pledged to "give back with pro bono work where needed," teasing a follow-up apology broadcast.
Im first made his name by winning tvN's Hansik Daecheop 3 in 2015 and recently returned to the spotlight with Culinary Class Wars. Now, his entire career is reeling after the DUI revelations. Whether his additional explanation broadcast can quell the controversy remains to be seen.