Donka 2014, a restaurant praised by celebrity chef Baek Jong-won for its delicious pork cutlets on the TV program “Alley Restaurant,” is experiencing the downside of fame.

As a result of Baek’s comments, the restaurant has seen extremely long lines outside its door. One Instagram user claimed to have lined up outside the restaurant since 10:50 p.m. the night before. Many other customers were seen with blankets and hot packs to fight the winter cold while waiting there at night. 

The racket from the waiting customers has irked nearby restaurant owners and local residents, some of whom have filed civil complaints against Donka 2014. Seeing the lines as an unbearable nuisance, fellow restaurateurs have even asked the owner of Donka 2014 to leave the neighborhood.

Although the pork cutlet restaurant converted a nearby dry cleaner’s into a waiting area for customers, problems persisted. On Tuesday, two customers were involved in a brawl over someone supposedly cutting in line, causing the restaurant to suspend business for the day.

On Wednesday, the restaurant announced on social media that it might shut down if nearby residents kept complaining about noise or customer behavior, and asked its customers not to line up at dawn.

Despite the plea, more and more customers continue to gather early to get a taste of the pork cutlets. Some customers have suggested that the restaurant only accommodate a limited number of customers and require reservations in advance to prevent long lines from forming in the first place.

By Lee Tae-hee (taeheelee@heraldcorp.com)