Star Chef Lee Yeon-bok closes all Chinese restaurants in Busan and Seoul and starts anew.
On the 12th, Lee Yeon-bok won a bid for a detached house 200m away from Mokran in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul for 3.07 billion won, and is planning to open a new Chinese restaurant there.
Previously, 'Mokran', which was run by Chef Lee Yeon-bok, had been renting a building, but after a period of preparation, it plans to move to the house that was awarded this time and do business.
Previously, 'Mokran' gained popularity thanks to Chef Lee Yeon-bok, who gained a higher level of recognition by appearing on the air, and was represented as a "Korean Chinese restaurant where it is not easy to make a reservation by phone."
In particular, it has become famous among foreigners as a 'restaurant' loved by celebrities, including BTS and Big Bang members who have a relationship with Chef Lee Yeon-bok.
However, chef Lee Yeon-bok claims that the number of customers has decreased due to the social distancing policy due to Corona 19, and the business has been hit.
Last month, this chef appeared on MBN's 'Battle with God' and said, "How many people can survive this time (COVID-19). It's not easy for us either. Last year's statistics showed a loss of about 120 million won."
In addition to 'Mokran' in Yeonhui-dong, this chef will also close Mokran in Busan on the 30th.
Chef Lee Yeon-bok also revealed directly, "The store is not closing because of a deficit in Busan, but because of a manpower shortage, and Seoul was in the red last year."
Chef Lee Yeon-bok entered Korea's first hotel Chinese restaurant at the age of 17 and started his career as a chef, and at 22, he became the youngest chef at the Taiwanese Embassy in Korea.
In 1998, Mokran opened a Chinese restaurant in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and has been operating for 24 years.
(SBS Entertainment News reporter Kang Kyung-yoon)