What constitutes 'force majeure' that would excuse a Bonchon restaurant from operating?

According to Bonchon's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a failure to operate a Bonchon restaurant for two consecutive days, or three individual days within a twelve-month period, during which operation is required under the Franchise Agreement, can be excused if the failure is due to force majeure. The FDD refers to Section 20.01 for the definition of force majeure. However, the provided excerpts do not include the content of Section 20.01, so the specific events that constitute force majeure are not detailed here.

Without the specific definition of 'force majeure' from Section 20.01, it is unclear what events Bonchon would consider as valid reasons for temporarily ceasing operations. Typically, 'force majeure' clauses in franchise agreements cover unforeseeable events such as natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, earthquakes, floods), war, terrorism, government regulations, or widespread utility outages. These events must be beyond the franchisee's control and make it impossible or illegal to operate the business.

A prospective Bonchon franchisee should carefully review Section 20.01 of the Franchise Agreement to understand what events would excuse a temporary closure. It is important to understand the scope of this clause, as unexcused closures can lead to termination of the franchise agreement. Franchisees should also inquire about Bonchon's past practices in applying the 'force majeure' clause to understand how it has been interpreted in real-world situations.