A bizarre case of naming rights
A restaurant in Seongnam, South Korea, that shares its name with Chinese leader Xi Jinping recently became the scene of a targeted attack. On September 24, four masked men broke into the eatery in the early hours, causing roughly 15 million won ($11,100) in property damage by smashing furniture and spraying lacquer throughout the space.
The owner, who has operated the business for eight years, claims the naming choice had zero political intent—he just wanted to imply his food was the "best." However, the vibes have been off for a while. The shop has faced persistent pressure to rebrand for the last year, with anonymous callers even offering the owner large sums of money to change the name. There was even a formal complaint filed with the Ministry of Intellectual Property in April regarding a "Xi Jinping Special Rice" dish on the menu, though the ministry eventually dismissed the case.
The fallout
Following the attack, the restaurant was forced to close for five days before reopening this past Tuesday. Police investigations revealed that the four suspects were Chinese nationals aged between 20 and 40. According to authorities, the group fled to Shanghai and Yantai immediately after the incident. South Korean police are now planning to request Interpol red notices to track them down, though these are technically requests for detention rather than direct arrest warrants. The owner is now lowkey considering a rebrand to avoid further drama.
Why it matters
This incident highlights how hyper-politicized naming conventions can spark international friction. While the owner maintains he just wanted a catchy brand name, the aggressive campaign against his business shows just how much people are willing to go the distance to enforce political symbols—even when it means crossing international borders to commit a crime.
