Fine Dining Has a Dress Code Too: Why Chef Choi Hyun-seok's 'Choidot' Notice Went Viral on SNS and 5 Truths About Korea's Gourmet Culture

Why you should pay attention now: A notice at a fine dining restaurant requesting guests to "avoid revealing outfits" has become one of the hottest topics in Korea's gourmet scene. This notice is not merely a dress code — it is a litmus test for how far Korea's culinary culture has come.

TL;DR

• Chef Choi Hyun-seok's fine dining restaurant Choidot posted a notice on the CatchTable reservation app saying "please avoid outfits that are overly revealing," going viral on SNS and online communities
• The dress code is smart casual; wearing slippers or flip-flops is also explicitly discouraged
• Public reactions are split: from "isn't that obvious?" to "what on earth were people wearing?"
• Following the airing of Black and White Chef, reservations at Choidot surged → new wave of guests → a sign of an etiquette gap
• An event that brought to the surface the SNS certification culture vs. consideration for other diners conflict in Korea's fine dining scene

🔥 What Happened

On February 26, 2026, a notice posted at Chef Choi Hyun-seok's restaurant 'Choidot' on the dining reservation app CatchTable spread rapidly across online communities and SNS.

The key points of the notice:

• First item in the guidelines and cautions: "Please avoid outfits that are overly revealing or may cause discomfort to other guests."
• A required confirmation at booking: "The dress code is smart casual. Please refrain from wearing slippers or flip-flops as much as possible."

On the surface, this seems like an ordinary dress code policy. However, the notice generated much greater impact precisely because it was posted at a fine dining restaurant, not a ₩20,000 casual eatery.

📣 Why It Went Viral — The Spread Mechanism

1. The Black and White Chef Effect

After the Netflix variety show Black and White Chef aired in the second half of 2025, Chef Choi Hyun-seok once again became recognized as an icon of fine dining, moving beyond just being "the flashy-knife star chef." The show's success stretched Choidot's reservation waitlists to weeks, bringing in a large wave of new guests who had never previously visited fine dining restaurants.

2. The Paradox of SNS Certification Culture

As more MZ-generation guests seek fine dining as "experiential consumption," an increasing number of diners pay more attention to the space and their outfits than to the food itself. Paradoxically, outfits chosen for distinctive SNS photo posts sometimes disrupted the dining atmosphere for other guests.

3. The Question: "Why Did They Need to Post a Notice?"

Online reactions exploded with "what in the world were people wearing that they had to post a notice?" The notice itself paradoxically stirred a sense of mystery, becoming viral content.

🧩 Context and Background — A Brief History of Fine Dining Dress Codes in Korea

Korea's Unique Context:

• Through the 1990s–2000s, fine dining was centered around business entertainment culture → formal attire was naturally the norm
• From the 2010s onward, the dining scene became more accessible, and dress codes grew ambiguous
• In the 2020s, SNS-driven "restaurant tour" culture began penetrating fine dining
• Result: Slippers, sleeveless tops, and excessive revealing outfits actually began appearing at omakase and fine dining establishments

🌐 Secondary Issues — Derived Debates

Debate 1: Freedom of Business vs. Consumer Rights

According to legal experts, a restaurant's dress code requirement is a legitimate exercise based on constitutionally protected freedom of business. The right to refuse guests is also legally recognized. However, refusals based on gender, race, disability, etc. may constitute violations of anti-discrimination laws and require caution.

Debate 2: The Democratization of Fine Dining — Blessing or Dilemma?

Content like Black and White Chef has broadened the reach of fine dining, but at the same time, more guests who are unfamiliar with the cultural codes of such spaces have arrived. Chefs and restaurants face a dual challenge: "welcoming everyone while preserving the atmosphere."

Debate 3: The Light and Shadow of SNS Certification Culture

SNS posts provide promotional benefits to restaurants while also producing the side effect of sacrificing the atmosphere and the dining experience of other guests. When combined with a culture of "dressing to be seen," this can clash with the core values of fine dining itself.

🔮 Outlook — How Long Will This Last?

✅ Checklist — What to Know Before Visiting a Fine Dining Restaurant

References

• Chef Choi Hyun-seok's Restaurant — 'How Revealing Was the Outfit?' — Herald Business (2026-02-27)
• 'Please Avoid Revealing Outfits'… Choi Hyun-seok Restaurant Notice Goes Viral — MK (2026-02-27)
• 'Avoid Revealing Outfits' — Chef Choi Hyun-seok Restaurant Notice Sparks Buzz — Money Today (2026-02-27)

Image Credit

• Fine Dining Table Setting — Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)