Paik Jong-won, the CEO of The Born Korea, has bowed in apology and declared a halt to all his TV activities following a series of controversies over quality disputes, mislabeling of product origins, and allegations of unfair treatment.
Through his YouTube channel, Paik announced, "I will stop all TV appearances," adding, "From now on, I will focus all my passion and effort solely on the growth of The Born Korea, not as a TV personality but as the businessman Paik Jong-won."
In the announcement, Paik emphasized that he is identifying and addressing the root causes of all issues, including quality, food safety, and hygiene at event venues, stating, "All problems lie with me." He also declared, "I will make 2025 the second founding year of The Born Korea, marking a complete renewal of the company."
Paik specifically mentioned that, aside from the programs already scheduled for broadcast, he would no longer participate in any TV activities, addressing concerns that his management might have been compromised by his extensive broadcasting commitments.
The upcoming shows featuring Paik include Netflix's cooking survival 'Culinary Class Wars' Season 2, tvN's 'The Genius Paik' Season 3, and a joint project by MBC and LG Uplus Studio X+U titled 'The Chef of South Polar.'
Viewer reactions to this news have been mixed. Some question the point of declaring a halt to TV appearances if the scheduled programs are still to be aired, while others argue that it's excessive for Paik to stop his TV career due to corporate risks.
Previously, Paik and The Born Korea faced various controversies after going public last November, including suspicions of violating the Agricultural Land Act, inflating the price of 'Paik Ham', mislabeling product origins, using industrial metal for cooking utensils, employing pesticide sprayers, and summoning female store owners to drinking meetings under the guise of project interviews.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)