Teenager Apologizes After Urinating into Haidilao Hotpot

A teen who urinated into a hotpot at a Haidilao restaurant in Shanghai published a public apology in a newspaper today, along with his parents.

In the apology printed in the People's Court Daily, the teen, surnamed Tang, said he had fully realized the seriousness of his actions and offered a sincere apology to the Haidilao operators involved in the case.

"I deeply recognize my wrongful behavior," Tang wrote, adding that he had accepted criticism and education from his parents, school, police, the court and the wider public.

Tang's parents, acting as his legal guardians, expressed deep remorse over their child's misconduct in the apology.

The incident occurred on February 24, 2025, when Tang and another 17-year-old, surnamed Wu, dined in a private room at a Haidilao restaurant in Shanghai. After the meal, the two teens stood on the dining table and urinated into the hotpot, filming each other during the act. Wu later posted the video on social media on February 27, where it quickly spread online and sparked widespread public outrage.

Following the circulation of the video, police in Shanghai's Huangpu district detained both teens.

In response, Haidilao issued a public apology on March 12, saying it had destroyed and replaced all tableware at the affected restaurant, conducted a thorough disinfection, refunded all customers who dined there during the relevant period, and provided cash compensation equal to 10 times the order amount to 4,109 affected orders.

On September 12, a court ruled that Tang, Wu and their parents must publish apologies in designated newspapers under conditions that protect the minors' privacy. The parents were also ordered to pay 130,000 yuan (US$18,607) for tableware damage and cleaning and disinfection costs, 2 million yuan in business and reputational losses, and 70,000 yuan in legal expenses.