"Because I Liked Drinking, I Made Mistakes" — Why Chef Lim Seong-geun of "Culinary Class Wars" Revealed His Three Drunk-Driving Convictions

[The Financial News] Chef Lim Seong-geun, who has gained popularity through the Netflix series "Culinary Class Wars Season 2," has confessed that he drove under the influence three times in the past.
On the 18th, Chef Lim Seong-geun posted a handwritten letter of apology on his YouTube channel. He wrote, "I bow my head and offer a deep apology to the many fans and viewers who care about me and support me," adding, "I wish to confess the serious mistakes from my past that have remained as a heavy burden in a corner of my heart, and I sincerely ask for your forgiveness for them."
In the video posted that day, he said, "For the past five to six years, I have been cutting back on alcohol and being careful," and continued, "Because I liked drinking, I made mistakes, and over a span of 10 years I drove under the influence about three times."
He went on, "I drank, then slept in my car, and I was caught by the police and explained the situation. The officer asked, 'Why are you sitting in the driver’s seat with the engine running?' Later I found out that I should have turned the engine off before sitting there. That was one time I got caught, and I think that was about 10 years ago."
He stressed, "Driving under the influence is a wrongdoing and a mistake that cannot be excused for any reason," and added, "At the time, I deeply regretted it and accepted the legal punishment, and over the past several years I have refrained from public activities and spent time reflecting on myself."
He continued, "As I have recently received excessive love, I came to feel that continuing my activities while burying my past wrongdoings would be a betrayal and discourtesy to those who trust me," explaining why he chose to come forward.
Chef Lim Seong-geun said, "I decided that, before it is too late, it is my duty to confess this fact and apologize with my own mouth, which is why I am posting this today," and pledged, "I will not forget my past wrongdoings and will discipline myself so that I can live as a chef who has a positive influence on society."
Earlier that same day, in a video titled "Food and Drinking," he had already confessed to driving under the influence. He said, "I wanted to hide it, but if something comes out later for no reason, many people will be hurt. What I did wrong is wrong, and I do not want to evade responsibility. That is why I pulled myself together and stopped," adding, "I was criminally punished and my license was revoked, and then I obtained my license again."
He went on, "As I was living a busy and difficult life, I came to like drinking a lot, but I hope you can forgive me generously. I will be careful from now on so that no problems arise in the future."
Chef Lim Seong-geun is a nationally certified master chef with more than 40 years of experience in Korean cuisine. He rose to fame as the winner of tvN’s "Korean Food War 3" in 2015, and he recently became a hot topic again after appearing on Culinary Class Wars Season 2.

moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter