Overview

• Sung says he discovered Karla Marcotte’s TikTok during their collaboration, challenged her to research his menu and prompted her to leave before her video went viral
• He recounts that the backlash drove Kis Cafe’s Google rating down to roughly 1.1, generated about 3,000 one-star reviews and exposed his children to tens of thousands of hateful messages
• After posting an apology on Kis Cafe’s Instagram on July 27, Sung stepped away permanently and the venue was relaunched as Bosque on August 7 under co-owner Eric Lin
• Marcotte’s TikTok following surged to nearly 475,000 after her account of the incident attracted millions of views, underscoring influencers’ reach over established chefs
• Sung warns the episode shows how a single viral moment can swiftly derail a culinary career and fuel wider debates over professionalism in hospitality