Harsh Criticism of Food at Chinese Athletes' Village... Japan Says "Only Korea is Overreacting, Japanese Athletes Are Satisfied"

Asahi Shimbun-affiliated Weekly Magazine Aera Report

A meal at the athletes' village for a member of the Korean skeleton national team. It is said that they chose to avoid greasy meat. Photo by Skeleton National Team

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Some members of the South Korean national team who participated in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics raised complaints about the poor quality of food in the athletes' village cafeteria, prompting Japanese media to respond that Korean athletes are being overly sensitive.

The weekly magazine Aera, affiliated with Japan's Asahi Shimbun, reported on the 8th, "When asked, Japanese athletes say they have no complaints about the athletes' village food, but in Korea, there have been continuous reports that their national team is dissatisfied with the meals in the athletes' village."

Earlier, South Korean speed skating representative Jeong Jae-won said after finishing official training at the Beijing National Speed Skating Oval on the 5th, "It is very different compared to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics," adding, "The food in the athletes' village cafeteria is not very tasty. After visiting the cafeteria on the evening of the day we arrived in Beijing, I have not gone back even once."

Speed skating team member Kim Bo-reum expressed dissatisfaction by saying, "Looking at the menu, I even felt like going home."

Athletes in sledding events gave similar evaluations. Skeleton team member Yoon Sung-bin criticized, "There is a grand display of meat, but it lacks substance," adding, "It seems the Chinese are not good at cooking." Skeleton team member Jeong Seung-gi also said, "It is too greasy, so I can't digest it."

Aera introduced these evaluations from Korean athletes and also mentioned that the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee is delivering lunch boxes for the team.

The media quoted a Japanese reporter covering the Olympics in Beijing, saying, "The press corps eats at the media center, and although it is somewhat expensive, the taste is not a problem."

The reporter said, "When asked Japanese athletes, they said there are over 100 menu items including Chinese cuisine, Asian cuisine, and pizza," adding, "Since the Japanese athletes said they had no complaints, I was very surprised to see reports that the Korean team was dissatisfied with the athletes' village meals."

Photo by Valeria Vasnetsova, Instagram capture

However, the Korean team is not the only one dissatisfied with the athletes' village food. Valeria Vasnetsova of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) biathlon team, currently quarantined in a hotel due to COVID-19, recently posted her meal plan on Instagram, writing, "There is food that I simply cannot eat. The bones have started to become bare... I spend every day crying."

She added, "My stomach hurts, my complexion has become pale, and I have dark circles around my eyes. I just wish everything would be over."

Meanwhile, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee is delivering Korean lunch boxes to athletes at the Crown Plaza Beijing Sun Palace Hotel, about 15 minutes away from the Beijing athletes' village. It is known that the Korean team is currently relying on these lunch boxes for their meals.

The committee stated, "We have dispatched 14 staff members, including nutritionists and cooking personnel from the Jincheon National Training Center, to deliver Korean lunch boxes to the Beijing athletes' village from the 4th to the 17th."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.