Chinese netizens criticize Lee Dong Wook over “Koreans don’t eat mooncakes” remark

Actor Lee Dong Wook has come under fire from Chinese netizens for a past comment stating that Koreans do not eat mooncakes, sparking heated online debate.

As of August 20, the hashtag “Lee Dong Wook, Koreans Don’t Eat Mooncakes” was trending on China’s social media platform Weibo. Posts related to the topic surpassed 32,000, with views reaching over 98.12 million, highlighting its rapid rise as a hot issue.

The controversy stems from a remark Lee made during last year’s Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). When some Chinese fans asked on the fan communication platform Bubble whether Koreans also eat mooncakes, Lee responded: “Chinese fans, we don’t eat mooncakes in Korea. We celebrate differently.”

He further added, “Stop talking about mooncakes. We eat songpyeon (a traditional Korean rice cake),” emphasizing the cultural difference. His statement, later translated into Chinese and widely shared, triggered a wave of backlash.

Many Chinese netizens accused the actor of “disrespecting Chinese culture” and claimed that “Koreans also eat mooncakes.” Some even argued that “Korea might eventually try to claim mooncakes as their own traditional food.”

Meanwhile, Korean netizens reacted with bewilderment, defending Lee’s comment: “He simply stated a fact, what’s the problem?” and “He just said Koreans don’t eat mooncakes—because we don’t.”

The debate continues to unfold on Weibo, where the clash between cultural pride and misunderstanding shows no sign of cooling down.