Dog scratches friend's sofa, owner balks at 500,000-won repair bill

A dog owner has vented online after being asked to pay 500,000 won ($368) to cover sofa damage her pet caused at a friend's home.

The post, titled "She wants 500,000 won because the sofa got scratched," appeared Monday on Remember, a workplace community platform.

The author, identified only as A, had brought her dog to a housewarming party at a friend's home — the friend's first place, secured through an apartment subscription lottery.

According to A, the dog was visibly excited by the unfamiliar surroundings, running around the apartment and jumping on and off the sofa.

The trouble started after the party ended. The friend told A the sofa had been badly scratched and said she had looked into the cost of replacing the leather. Finding the price substantial, she asked A to share the expense and requested 500,000 won.

"My dog is a Maltese — how much damage could it really have done by scratching?" A said, adding that the dog rarely scratches sofas at home either.

A said she offered to buy her friend a leather repair kit or protective pads, but still felt 500,000 won was too much to ask.

The friend saw things differently. She explained that because it was her first home, she had chosen the sofa carefully with the intention of using it for years, and was upset that it had been scratched so soon after purchase.

"I looked it up online and apparently minor leather scratches can be fixed with a repair kit or conditioner," A said. "I'm not sure if I'm just out of touch because I've never owned an expensive sofa, or if my friend is asking for too much."