A Japanese YouTuber known for reviewing Taiwanese street food is facing backlash in Taiwan after footage showed him spitting out food at a night market and declaring he “hates Taiwan,” prompting accusations of disrespect and a combative response video from the creator.
The controversy centers on a video posted August 9, 2026 to the channel “Zoro’s Taiwan Gourmet” (ゾロの台湾グルメ), in which the host visited a night market in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second-largest city. After tasting a dish, he grimaced and spat it out on camera, saying, “Not good! Seriously, this is bad. I hate night markets. Actually, I hate Taiwan,” while drinking a beer — despite wearing a yellow T-shirt printed with the English phrase “We love Taiwan.”
Taiwanese media also resurfaced a February 2023 video in which the same YouTuber, dining at a seafood restaurant, demanded a refund for sashimi he called “very bad and disappointing” in English, addressing the complaint directly to the restaurant’s female head chef.
Criticism built online in Taiwan before local outlets picked up the story around September 22, with commentators noting that the YouTuber also runs a souvenir shop called “Miracle Country Taiwan” in Taipei — fueling accusations that he profits from Taiwan while publicly disparaging its food. When approached by reporters, he called the footage a “malicious edit” and promised to address the controversy in a follow-up video. The story has since spread to Japan, where it has become a major topic of discussion online.
On September 23, the YouTuber posted a response video titled “About the Big Controversy,” using a thumbnail reading “To some low-quality Taiwanese people” (一部の民度の低い台湾人のみなさまへ) — a provocative phrase that appeared to intensify criticism rather than calm it. In the video, he reportedly explained that the sashimi at the center of the 2023 incident had been served to him frozen rather than properly thawed. Questions and criticism were still circulating at the time of reporting.
Who is Zoro?
The YouTuber behind “Zoro’s Taiwan Gourmet” runs a channel with just over 130,000 subscribers dedicated to reviewing food and restaurants across Taiwan for a Japanese audience. He also operates a Taipei-based souvenir shop, “Miracle Country Taiwan.” His content typically covers night markets, street food, and local dining spots.
Author’s Comment
Nothing says "I love your country" like spitting out its food on camera while wearing a shirt that literally says you love it — the irony practically wrote its own headline. I get it, not every night market dish is a home run, but there’s a real gap between "this isn’t for me" and theatrically gagging for the algorithm. And that apology thumbnail calling your own audience "low-quality"? Not exactly a de-escalation masterclass. Japanese creators have built entire careers off Taiwan’s food scene and hospitality — burn that goodwill and you’re not just losing views, you’re losing a market. Fewer spit takes, more actual food criticism, please.
