Chinese 'copycat' bagel shop near Korean Provisional Government site sparks backlash

The entrance of the New York Bagelous Museum store in Shanghai / Captured from Seo Kyoung-duk's Facebook

A Chinese bakery mimicking Korea's popular London Bagel Museum has sparked controversy, becoming the latest in a series of “copycat” businesses imitating Korean brands.

The controversy centers around a store called New York Bagelous Museum in Shanghai, which critics say replicates the concept of the Korean bagel chain. This follows similar issues involving Chinese retailers like Only Young, described as an imitation of Korea's top health and beauty store, CJ Olive Young.

Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University and a vocal advocate for Korean culture, raised the issue on Facebook on Tuesday.

"Many Koreans who visited China have reported this to me," Seo wrote. "A store named New York Bagelous Museum, which mimics a well-known Korean bakery, is blatantly operating in downtown Shanghai."

Adding to the controversy is the store's location across from the historic site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, a significant landmark for the Korean independence movement.

"The fact that it sits directly facing the Provisional Government building is causing discomfort for many Korean tourists," the professor added.

The entrance of the London Bagel Museum in the Gujwa area of Jeju Island / Captured from London Bagel Museum's Instagram

Despite its name and British-themed interior, London Bagel Museum is a homegrown Korean brand founded in September 2021. It has since expanded from its flagship store in Anguk-dong, Seoul, to seven locations nationwide.

The professor said the Chinese store appears to have lifted nearly every aspect of the Korean brand's concept.

"From the interior to the menu and packaging, it is an obvious imitation of Korea's London Bagel Museum," he said. "After digging deeper, I found they are already running stores not only in Shanghai, but also in Beijing and Suzhou."

This is not the first time Chinese companies have copied the names or overall look and feel of Korean brands.

Only Young stores can be found in cities like Changsha and Liuyang in Hunan province, triggering backlash for their resemblance to CJ Olive Young. These stores use similar lime green branding and play K-pop music, misleading consumers into believing they are visiting a legitimate K-beauty retailer.

An Only Young sore, left, mimics Korea's CJ Olive Young, and a Mumuso store, right, resembles the popular chain Daiso / Captured from social media

Criticizing the Chinese copycats, Seo called for stronger intervention from Seoul to prevent further theft of Korean brand identities as the global value of Korean cultural content rises.

"There is a limit to how much individual companies can do," he added. "We need urgent government-level cooperation on intellectual property protection, as well as coordination with local law enforcement."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.