Recently embroiled in various controversies, Baek Jong-won, the CEO of The Born Korea, has announced that he will suspend all broadcasting activities to focus on his business. This has raised concerns about the future of the entertainment programs he was scheduled to appear in.
On the 6th, Baek Jong-won issued an apology through his YouTube channel, stating, "From now on, I will concentrate all my passion and energy as a businessman, Baek Jong-won, solely on the growth of The Born Korea," and announced that he would suspend all broadcasting activities except for the programs currently being filmed.
The Born Korea, led by Baek Jong-won, has been under investigation for violations of the Food Labeling and Advertising Act due to controversies regarding product quality, origin labeling errors, and allegations of using inappropriate utensils or neglecting ingredients at festival sites, which have arisen since February.
In response to these controversies, Baek Jong-won expressed deep regret at the 31st regular shareholders' meeting of The Born Korea held at the end of March, stating, "I sincerely reflect on my failure to manage thoroughly as a manager." However, following this, allegations arose that a The Born Korea executive had invited a female applicant to a drinking party under the pretext of an interview, causing further damage to his image.
Amidst a series of negative issues, Baek Jong-won's declaration to suspend broadcasting activities has left the entertainment industry pondering whether to release the entertainment programs he appeared in.
The Netflix show 'Black and White Chef,' which gained immense popularity in its first season last year, is reportedly filming its second season with the goal of releasing it within the year, but has stated, "The specific release date is undecided."
Additionally, the tvN program 'Business Genius Baek Sa-jang 3,' which was spotted filming in France last month, stated at the time, "Due to the nature of overseas filming, which is difficult to change or cancel, 'Business Genius Baek Sa-jang 3' is filming according to the scheduled plan. The scheduling is undecided."
Meanwhile, the joint entertainment program 'Chef of Antarctica' by MBC and LG Uplus, which was originally scheduled to air in April, has been indefinitely postponed. MBC explained that the scheduling delay was due to the impact of the early presidential election, but the current scheduling remains unclear.
In particular, the fact that Baek Jong-won continued filming amid various controversies has worsened public sentiment. As a result, there is a cautious atmosphere in the broadcasting industry, worried that hastily releasing the entertainment programs featuring Baek Jong-won may lead to backlash.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
