Is Lee Jang-woo's Restaurant in Trouble? Unpaid Bills Exceed 40 Million Won!

[Sports Today reporter Lim Si-ryeong] A gukbap restaurant associated with actor Lee Jang-woo has been accused of failing to pay a supplier more than ₩40,000,000 (roughly $26,800), a dispute that has now cast a shadow over programs that spotlighted the business.

Dispatch reported on the 17th that Hoseokchon, located in Seokchon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, has not paid livestock distributor Company A for eight months. The outstanding balance is reported to exceed ₩40,000,000 (about $26,800).

Company A, which says it supplied the restaurant from January 2023 through May 2025, claims the unpaid balance swelled to ₩64,000,000 (approximately $42,880) as of January last year.

The restaurant has been introduced on several programs as one run by Lee. On MBN’s variety show Jeon Hyun-mu’s Plan last year, Lee said, “At the start we boiled 100 pig heads. We run two enormous cauldrons.” On MBC’s I Live Alone he mentioned operating Hoseokchon with a friend of 20 years, and he also promoted the business on his personal YouTube channel and on channels run by creators Tzuyang and Gian84.

After allegations surfaced that the restaurant failed to pay suppliers on time, the shows that featured it came under scrutiny. Producers of Jeon Hyun-mu’s Plan told TV Daily they were unaware of any unpaid invoices and that Lee was booked for the show because of his passion for food, not to promote his restaurant. I Live Alone has not offered a response.

Lee’s agency, Hoonus Entertainment, denied the actor bore direct responsibility and provided documents showing payments for ingredients. The agency said Lee is a shareholder in Hoseokchon and participates in its operations, but that, under contract, full payment for supplies was made to distributor Mujin Co., Ltd. The agency says the issue arose when Mujin failed to forward payments to Company A. Mujin has reportedly acknowledged the problem.

While the immediate controversy appears to have quieted, Lee is not entirely free of responsibility. Since opening an udon shop in 2023, he has expanded into a curry restaurant and a walnut snack business, increasingly positioning himself as a restaurateur. He repeatedly promoted his ventures on broadcasts, and his name added commercial value to those businesses. The unpaid-bill dispute suggests lapses in oversight of intermediary management. Lee told reporters he feels a moral responsibility for not sufficiently verifying that the intermediary fulfilled its obligations.

[Sports Today reporter Lim Si-ryeong ent@stoo.com]
「The closest, most FunFun news ⓒ Sports Today」