In South Korea, Japanese Restaurants Break Law with Japanese Signs
Japanese food is trending in South Korea — and many restaurant owners are technically breaking the law to make the experience authentic.
People in South Korea love Japanese food so much that they’re reliving the dining experience in Japan on the streets of Seoul. That recreation goes so far as to have Japanese-only signs and menus, which is technically illegal.
What’s on the menu? (We don’t know — it’s in Japanese)
Japanese cuisine is booming in Seoul, South Korea. and restaurant owners are technically violating the law to make the dining experience as authentic as possible.
“When the restaurant opened, there were no signs in Hangul, so I got reported to the police,” says the owner of the Osaka-themed ATASHI in Seoul.
Signs with no Hangul writing are illegal according to South Korean law. Stores can use a foreign language but must include Hangul on the sign as well. However, as there’s no penalty for violating it, shops and restaurants with only Japanese signage are popping up.
