TV networks scrambling as Paik Jong-won halts all on-air activities
Paik Jong-won, CEO of Theborn Korea, announced Tuesday via his official YouTube channel that he will suspend all broadcasting activities, except for those currently in production, to focus on the company’s growth. Captured from his YouTube channel
TV industry faces reckoning over unchecked exposure
Broadcast networks are on alert as restaurateur and businessman Paik Jong-won, CEO of Theborn Korea, suspends his television appearances amid a string of product quality controversies.
At least three shows featuring Paik have already completed filming and are set to air this year, prompting criticism that the industry relied too heavily on his popularity and was producing content without sufficient scrutiny.
Among them is the Netflix show “Culinary Class Wars,” which gained popularity last year and is set to return for a second season in the latter half of 2025. Season 2 began filming in March, with Paik appearing again as a judge. A Netflix official declined to comment on the specific production or release schedule.
TvN had also planned to air the third season of “The Genius Paik,” a variety show in which Paik teams up with celebrities to sell Korean food abroad. The latest season was filmed in France last month. “It was included in this year’s programming lineup, but the airdate has not been finalized,” a tvN official said.
MBC abruptly canceled the planned April 14 broadcast of “Chef of Antarctica,” a show documenting Paik’s efforts to cook warm meals for a team stationed in Antarctica.
Although no official reason was given, speculation has emerged that the delay was prompted by the controversies surrounding Paik and his company.
Paik Jong-won, center, serves as a judge on Netflix’s cooking competition show “Culinary Class Wars.” Courtesy of Netflix.
Promoter of Paik’s interests
Since late January, Theborn Korea has faced a string of allegations ranging from quality issues with its food brand “Paik Ham” and violations of farmland laws to false labeling of ingredient origins and accusations of abusive behavior by Paik during productions.
In a third public apology released Tuesday via his YouTube channel, Paik said he would halt all television appearances except for shows already in progress.
Criticism has also mounted over the role broadcasting companies have played in amplifying Paik’s business interests.
Shows such as SBS’ “Paik Jong-won's Alley Restaurant” prominently featured Paik and were later linked to commercial ventures. For instance, he launched the franchise brand “Yeondon Ball Katsu” based on a tonkatsu restaurant featured on-air, and sold meal kits inspired by dishes popularized through the shows.
Kim Heon-sik, a professor of cultural studies at Jungwon University, criticized networks for blurring the line between entertainment and promotion.
“Despite being a restaurant franchise CEO, Paik was introduced as a ‘Korean cuisine expert,’ allowing the shows to act as indirect marketing channels for Theborn Korea,” he said. “For the past decade, broadcasters overlooked this dynamic, allowing Paik to accumulate excessive influence, while those raising concerns about Theborn Korea faced backlash. It’s time for broadcasters to reflect.”
Paik Jong-won appears in a TV program offering consulting to small restaurant owners. Captured from broadcast footage
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.