Taiwan-based Japanese YouTuber sparks controversy over food reviews

A Japanese YouTuber living in Taiwan, known as ‘Zoro’s Taiwan Gourmet,’ has sparked significant backlash in both Japan and Taiwan following a video review of food at the Liuhe Night Market in Kaohsiung.

In the video, Zoro harshly criticized local street food, using terms such as ‘disgusting’ and ‘shitty’ to describe pork kimchi. He further stated, ‘I hate night markets. In fact, I hate Taiwan,’ leading to widespread condemnation on social media. Critics have accused him of being disrespectful to local culture and pointed out the hypocrisy of a creator who runs a dessert business in Taiwan while publicly disparaging the country’s food and hospitality.

In response to the growing controversy, Zoro uploaded an explanation video. However, the video drew further criticism due to its provocative thumbnail, which included the text, ‘To some of the low-class Taiwanese people.’ Local Taiwanese media outlets have also reported on the incident, noting the intense criticism from netizens regarding his perceived double standards.