Yongin Park Faces One-Year Prison Term Again in Appeal for "Butter Beer Without Butter" Case

Yongin Park. Photo by Yonhap News

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Prosecutors have again requested a one-year prison sentence in the appeals trial for Yongin Park, CEO of Virture Company and a member of the group Urban Zakapa, who is accused of misleadingly selling beer without butter as "Butter Beer."

The Seoul Eastern District Court’s Criminal Appeals Division 3 held the first appeal hearing on April 29 for Park, who was indicted on charges of violating the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Food, etc. During the sentencing argument, prosecutors requested the same one-year prison term as in the first trial.

Park and Virture Company are accused of distributing four types of beer to convenience stores and other outlets between June 2022 and January 2023, advertising them as if they contained butter when, in fact, they did not. They used phrases such as "Butter Beer" and "Butter Base" in social media postings and promotional materials, and included "Beurre," the French word for butter, in the product name.

Prosecutors stated, "The defendant engaged in false and exaggerated advertising to many consumers, resulting in profits amounting to several billion won," adding, "The sentence imposed by the original court is excessively lenient."

In February last year, the court of first instance sentenced Park to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. The corporate entity Virture Company was fined 10 million won. The court considered that, given Park’s fame as a singer, there was a high likelihood that consumers believed the products actually contained butter.

Park’s attorney argued, "Park has reflected on his actions since the incident and did not file an appeal," requesting that the appeal be dismissed. In his final statement, Park bowed his head and said, "I am sorry for causing concern."

The sentencing for the appeals trial is scheduled for 10 a.m. on June 26.

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