In the context of the tragic crash of Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 from Bangkok to Jeju on the morning of December 29, which claimed the lives of 179 people, a franchise bar owner’s comment regarding this tragedy sparked intense public reaction .
That afternoon, a user on X (formerly Twitter), identified as A, shared a screenshot of a KakaoTalk message from the bar owner, writing: “Let’s boycott ○○ Daegu department stores. Is this how you talk to a part-timer? Aren’t you ashamed as an adult? My faith in humanity is gone.”
In the message, the owner noted “Think about these things and only apply if you can handle them“, referring to hiring part-time workers.
The owner continued: “You saw the plane crash today, right? Some of you are planning to travel abroad during the break. If an accident occurs, please send me a KakaoTalk message saying “Hire a Substitute” before contacting your mother or father. Make sure there are no absences.”
A, who claimed to have previously worked at the bar, revealed: “Physical contact was routine and the owner referred to the part-time workers as pigs and dogs. Three months later, they said, “I spoke harshly on purpose.” You passed the test if you put up with it and tried to ignore it. I resisted for six months and then I stopped, but they are still the same.“A urged,”Since the bar on the 4th floor is their privately owned shop and they treasure it, we should boycott that place.”
The incident sparked outrage online, with comments such as: “They pay almost nothing, yet they think they can act this way”, “The owner probably thought it was funny“,”Are you even human?”, “This tragedy is not something to joke about: it is a time for mourning, not for casual comments”, “How can anyone trust drinks sold by such a deranged owner?”, “The boss’s mind seems to be “crashed””, “How does this person earn money? If the boss is at risk of death, I hope they send a message to the part-time workers first, so they don’t show up unnecessarily“…
Some netizens filed complaints with the cafe’s headquarters and reported the incident to the “Voice of the Customer” at the department store where the cafe is located. At the same time, a wave of one-star reviews flooded the bar’s KakaoMap page.
