What Happened at Mosu Seoul? Chef Ahn Addresses Wine Vintage Scandal

Chef Ahn Seong-jae has issued a personal statement about the controversy over a wine vintage mix-up at his fine-dining restaurant, Mosu Seoul.

On the 6th, Ahn posted on Instagram: “I sincerely apologize again for the inadequate service at Mosu that disappointed many guests. I deeply apologize to the customers who felt especially let down.” He said he accepts full responsibility for everything that happened at Mosu but that misinformation has spread, so he wanted to explain the facts in detail.

Ahn said he reviewed the restaurant’s CCTV from April 18 to confirm staff movements and the wine service, then outlined what happened. The table sommelier accidentally served a 2005 vintage instead of the 2000 vintage that should have accompanied the hanwoo (Korean beef) course. Two bottles were sitting side by side on the restaurant’s second floor, which led to the mix-up. The sommelier only realized the mistake after finishing the wine presentation and failed to tell the guest immediately. When the guest asked for a photo of the label, the sommelier made the wrong call—saying “the photo should show the correct vintage”—and told his deputy manager, but the issue wasn’t resolved and the dishes were served. When the guest raised the issue, the sommelier improvised inaccurate explanations, claiming, for example, that a 2000 vintage bottle had been ordered and was on the first floor. Later, when the 2000 vintage was opened for comparison, the sommelier suggested—poorly and inappropriately—that since the guest studies wine, the mistake offered an opportunity to compare the 2000 and 2005 vintages. Ahn said the team should have led with a clear explanation and a sincere apology; instead, the apology was insufficient and the sommelier’s remarks were inappropriate.

The floor service manager, who had only been given a partial report, decided to offer dessert wine to three of the four diners who had ordered the wine pairing and judged the matter resolved. Because Ahn was off duty, he didn’t receive the full report until two days later, on the 21st. He required the sommelier to submit a written account and removed him from wine-service duties. Ahn added, “From the mistake itself to how we handled it, the entire process was improper. Considering what guests expect from Mosu, their disappointment must be even greater. I promise we will tighten oversight and do everything necessary to prevent this from happening again.”

On the 21st of last month, an online post claimed that Mosu had swapped a 2000 vintage wine worth about 800,000 KRW (about $600) for a 2005 vintage that was roughly 100,000 KRW (about $75) cheaper, sparking the controversy. The poster criticized the sommelier’s comment—“I’ll let you taste the 2000 vintage, too”—and questioned whether such a mistake was tolerable at a two-Michelin-star restaurant. Mosu issued an apology on its official social channels on the 23rd of last month, but as the debate continued, Ahn stepped forward with his own explanation. Ahn gained broader public recognition after serving as a judge on seasons 1 and 2 of Netflix’s Black & White Chefs: Culinary Class War.