“Jung Hae In Lookalike” South Korean Street Vendor Loses Job After Going Mega-Viral
For social media stars, going viral is a once-in-a-lifetime chance—a blessing, so to speak. But for one bungeoppang street vendor in South Korea, the internet fame led to him having to shut down his business.
Kim Jong Oh, a freelance model turned entrepreneur, first went viral when he served his fish-shaped bread snacks with a side of an idol visual. An Instagram reel featuring Kim has since gained over 4M views—with Koreans asking for the whereabouts of his bungeoppang cart.
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Nicknamed “Bung Hae In,” a crossover between actor Jung Hae In and bungeoppang, Kim became somewhat of an overnight sensation…
사장님이 붕해인인건 둘째치고 붕어빵 세개 천원 ㅁㅊ https://t.co/d7zwkUSfG4
— 진수 (@heunghacnayo) December 4, 2024
Nevermind the vendor being Bung Hae In… His bungeoppangs are 3 for a dollar. WTH!
— @heunghacnayo/X
…though, with that fame came a price.
Via Stories, Kim revealed that his cart ended up getting reported and so he could no longer sell in the same spot. Asking for small business owners to collaborate with, Kim wrote that he would like to continue making bungeoppang.
Hello, this is the bungeoppang seller. I have unfortunate news to share via Stories. After a video of mine went viral, my cart received a lot of attention. And while I’m so grateful, I was also reported and the district office contacted me. I’m no longer allowed to sell in my usual spot. If anyone in Sillim-dong has a small business or owns a spot, please let me know. I would like to pay rent and keep operating my cart.
— Kim Jong Oh
Kim explained in an interview with a media outlet that he was sad to see such an iconic winter snack disappear, so he took the matter into his own hands.
As ingredient costs have risen with inflation, many bungeoppang stalls have disappeared. Feeling sad about the disappearance of these cheap winter snacks, I decided to take it upon myself to start making them.
— Kim Jong Oh
Since then, Kim has turned to doing pop-ups and, in a longer update, said that he’s now working on an official bungeoppang brand instead of selling from an unlicensed cart. He thanked the customers who came by to shop from his cart and asked that they continue to support both his modeling and baking endeavors!
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