A woman recently posted a video that is putting people off a popular Korean dish—potentially for life.
Aiko (@princessaikojoya) captured the disgusting experience on camera. In a TikTok with 34 million views, Aiko says she was going out for Korean barbecue, specifically samgyup, or pork belly. Then her partner spotted something moving under the grilling plate.
In the 15-second clip, Aiko zooms in close to the grill. Within seconds, you see a tiny white worm peek out, followed by another, then another.
In the caption, Aiko says this is the second sighting of worms. She writes that her partner first spotted them crawling on the plate where their meat was cooking. They alerted the staff, and a manager purportedly reassured them that the worm was from the lettuce, which was nearby on the counter.
“We accepted that explanation,” she writes.
The manager changed out the grilling plate, she says, and they resumed preparing the meal.
“However, to our surprise, the worm appeared again,” Aiko continues.
She recorded the creatures and warned people to be vigilant about checking their grilling plates when they go out.
“And to all those working in the food industry, please make sure to thoroughly check everything for the safety and well-being of your customers,” Aiko writes. “Stay safe and always be cautious!”
She did not reveal the name of the restaurant. Aiko didn’t respond to a direct message sent via TikTok on Wednesday morning.
Korean barbecue gains a following
Once relatively rare and confined mostly to large, urban areas, Korean barbecue restaurants have popped up all over the country in recent years.
They typically serve a variety of grilled meats alongside sauces and sides (banchan) like kimchi and pickled vegetables. People rave about Korean barbecue.
Samgyup is one of the more popular items.
The meat is cooked in front of you, hence why Aiko’s table had a grilling plate. This can ensure the meat is hot, fresh, and cooked the way you like it.
It can also provide a habitat for highly unwanted dinner guests.
Is Korean barbecue dangerous?
Any area where food is prepped, stored, cooked, or consumed can contain foodborne bacteria, viruses, and, as Aiko found, insects.
Some stereotypes hold that cheaper, so-called ethnic restaurants are more likely to have issues with hygiene and food safety.
This simply isn’t true. Restaurants that serve all types of cuisine at every price point are regularly caught with rodent infestations, improper food handling, and other conditions that would gross out (and potentially sicken) diners.
To keep customers safe, health departments regularly inspect restaurants to ensure they’re complying with state and local ordinances. These range from the types and locations of cleaning products to the temperature of the dishwasher, the fridge, and the cleanliness of anywhere food, dishes, or cutlery are stored.
Usually, food poisoning is a brief and unpleasant experience that people recover from without going to the doctor. But in extremely rare cases, foodborne illness can be fatal. If your symptoms persist or are severe, you may want to consult a medical professional.
Health inspectors get a lot of flak for doing their jobs, but they also quietly save people from getting sick, grossed out, or worse.
What is up with those worms?
People generally had one reaction to Aiko’s TikTok: eww, gross.
“I’m going to faint,” one shared.
Some fans of samgyup, also spelled samgyeopsal, may be rethinking their dining choices for the near future.
“Thank you, will not be eating samgyupsal for awhile,” a user with the screen name Liv wrote.
Many doubt the manager’s explanation. “These are maggots…. This dish wasn’t clean for several days,” they wrote. That the worms were actually maggots, or fly larvae, was a popular opinion. Even if so, they could’ve potentially come from the lettuce, as the manager reportedly claimed.
Another person suggested that the insects meant there was “rotting meat under the grill.”
@princessaikojoya FOR AWARENESS ❗️❗️❗️ To everyone who loves eating Samgyup, please always check your grilling plates. This happened last night when my partner and I planned to have Samgyup for dinner. Luckily, my partner is always careful about checking the grilling plate before eating. At first, she noticed something crawling on the plate where the meat was cooking. We alerted the staff, and they came to check. The person who seemed to be the manager changed our grilling plate and explained that it was just a worm caused by the lettuce, since it was near the grill. We accepted that explanation. However, to our surprise, the worm appeared again after a while. This is just a reminder to always check your plates before you eat, as it’s important for your health. And to all those working in the food industry, please make sure to thoroughly check everything for the safety and well-being of your customers. Stay safe and always be cautious!
♬ original sound – Princess Aiko Joya
More than one said that they would never return to that particular establishment and suggested Aiko contact the health department.
A few urged Aiko to expose the restaurant.
“Normalize dropping the resto name!” wrote one.
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