Restaurant Owner Gets D‌e‌‌at‌h Threats After Trying to Justify ‘We Suki Suki’ Viet Restaurant Name

A former restaurant owner named Ryan Kulp tweeted about an Atlanta joint he co-owned called We Suki Suki, which at one point apparently held a “late night experience” titled “Good Morning Vietnam.”

7 years ago today i co-founded a Vietnamese restaurant in Atlanta.

we launched a late night experience, “Good Morning Vietnam.”

napalm smoothies (tang + Red Bull), Full Metal Jacket soundtrack blaring, machetes to cut banh mi, and an ammo box for cash.

still thriving today. pic.twitter.com/zQbQWCWXPm
— Ryan Kulp (@ryanckulp) February 25, 2019

The tweet quickly received some backlash from Asian and pro-Asian tweeters pointing out the insensitivity of making Vietnam War-centered jokes, including the term “we suki suki,” which seems like an obvious reference to a famous prostitution scene from the film “Full Metal Jacket.”

In a response to the original tweet, Kulp added “yes, [restaurant] is called ‘We Suki Suki.’ long story ;)”

1. no, this is not me.
2. i was pushed out of the biz (lesson: sign more contracts!)
3. yes, resto is called We Suki Suki. long story 😉
— Ryan Kulp (@ryanckulp) February 25, 2019

When Twitter users called out the problematic reference, however, Kulp insisted it was a “rough translation of ‘we really love you.'”

no, TBH it was a rough translation for “we really love you” and is well intentioned. there was a bit of similar outrage culture online in 2012 too, so ive seen this movie before.
— Ryan Kulp (@ryanckulp) February 25, 2019

In addition, the “Good Morning Vietnam” event which Kulp celebrates in his tweet shows a Caucasian man dressed up in military garb and armed with a long knife, with the caption “Time to play.”

Many Twitter users responded by calling out the seemingly o‌ffens‌iv‌e restaurant and its events, which were now seemingly being championed by a Caucasian co-owner.

I cannot depend on the AsAm community to stop shit. This hits close to home. Making a joke about my heritage. White guy feels he gets a pass bc the owner is Viet. She doesn’t care. But this is a constant issue. In addition, living in GA, “progressive” folks did not care. I’m done pic.twitter.com/7zw4vVZt0J
— Jason Ten (@JasonThinh) February 25, 2019

Wow, millions murdered by US troops, countless My Lai Massacres & this is what you took away from all that.
— Ēadgār – ᛖᚪᛞᚪᚱ- – (@ChimalpahinXIII) February 25, 2019

When’s the WWII late night spot opening? Atomic bomb shots? Holocaust themed dress code for the staff? SMH
— Matt West (@mattwest1980) February 25, 2019

Kulp noted that he co-owned the restaurant with a Vietnamese person, which he states shouldn’t matter.

not that it should matter, but i opened the restaurant with a Vietnamese person. ive heard ISIS jokes that were funny. comedy is weird.
— Ryan Kulp 🇺🇸 (@ryanckulp) February 25, 2019

The co-owner’s name is Quynh Trinh. In 2015, she did an interview for Atlanta Magazine about the restaurant, in which she told her story of entering the restaurant business and developing We Suki Suki into a successful banh mi restaurant.

Regardless, many were outraged by the name of the restaurant and the Vietnam W‌‌ar jokes, to the point that some ended up seemingly threatening vi‌o‌le‌n‌ce against Kulp.