A restaurant that appeared on singer Sung Si-kyung's YouTube channel reportedly closed and abandoned a dog, igniting public outrage.
On May 2, several online forums carried a post titled "A Yongsan sashimi restaurant suspected of leaving a 14-year-old dog behind when it closed."
The poster, identified only as A, said seeing the scene in person made their heart race. They added that a nearby resident appears to have taken the dog in and is caring for it, and they shared photos.
One photo shows a notice taped to the shop’s glass door. The notice states, in part: "A dog has been left inside an empty, closed shop. We reported this to the district office and the center—please take responsibility for this life. During the day the interior becomes like an oven. Yongsan District Office will visit on 5/4. Please take the dog."
The poster wrote, "It's 14 years old. Are you even human? Or have you given up being human?" They added, "The food wasn't good and the owners were rude, so I only went once. I can't believe someone like this became famous on YouTube. From now on I'll avoid restaurants that get famous on YouTube."
Other photos show the dog trapped inside the shuttered shop with a note questioning, "If you're not doing business anymore, why leave the dog like this?" The images provoked widespread anger online.
Commenters expressed alarm, leaving remarks such as, "If the district office takes it, they'll probably euthanize it—it's heartbreaking," "How could someone raise such a small dog for 14 years and do this?" and "This place was featured on Sung Si-kyung's segment; they have no conscience. From reviews, it looks like they used the dog for marketing."
Another commenter, identified as B, wrote that the Huam-dong OO-sekkoshi restaurant—long promoted as "pet-friendly"—closed in early April and abandoned the dog. B said the dog is 14 years old and appears to have problems with its ears and legs.
B added, "Its eyes don't look good. Are they leaving an old dog to die because vet bills are expensive? If the district office takes it, there's a 99% chance of euthanasia." They said local residents at least gave the animal water, and because the dog was trembling they found an apron and some clothing inside the store and laid them on the floor.
B described the scene: flies around feces, mosquitoes and other insects everywhere, no ventilation and a foul odor. The interior gets very hot during the day, and the power has apparently been cut for some time. The dog is growing weaker by the day, and finding temporary foster care is difficult. They appealed for help.
The incident raises questions about local oversight and enforcement of animal-welfare protections when businesses close. Authorities in Yongsan District have been notified, according to the notice on the door.
