Chef Paik Jong-won Faces Mounting Food Code Scandals
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SEOUL — May 9, 2024 — The world of celebrity chef Paik Jong-won is currently under intense scrutiny.The chef is facing numerous accusations, including allegations of violating country-of-origin labeling laws and product quality concerns. These issues, along with resurfaced past controversies, have led to a barrage of criticism. The accusations raise questions about the chef’s business practices and future endeavors, so stay tuned.
celebrity Chef Paik Jong-won faces Mounting Controversies
Paik Jong-won, a prominent figure in South Korea’s culinary scene, is currently navigating a series of allegations ranging from abuse of power too food code violations. Mr. Paik, known for his role as a judge on the Netflix series Culinary Class Wars and as the owner of 26 restaurant franchises, including Paik’s Coffee, Paik’s Bibim, and Bornga, has been under scrutiny as late January.
Origin Labeling Law Allegations
The most serious accusation involves Paik-seok doenjang, a soybean paste produced by Theborn Korea, an F&B company founded by Mr. Paik. The product was allegedly advertised as domestically made but purportedly contained Chinese fermented paste. This has led to accusations of violating contry-of-origin labeling laws.
Did You know?
Country-of-origin labeling laws are designed to protect consumers by providing accurate facts about where a product comes from. Violations can result in important penalties.
Furthermore, Theborn korea is accused of violating the Farmland Act by manufacturing paik-seok doenjang in an agricultural promotion zone, where the use of foreign raw materials in production is prohibited.
If charged and convicted of falsely advertising the origin of ingredients, Mr. Paik could face severe penalties under Korea’s Act on Origin Labeling for Agricultural and Fishery Products. Thes penalties could include up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won (approximately $70,000 USD).
product Quality concerns
beyond the origin labeling issues, other accusations have surfaced regarding the quality of products from Theborn Korea and its affiliates.
- Concerns have been raised about the low pork content in Theborn Korea’s ham.
- Questions have been asked about the minimal amount of tangerine used in a tangerine beer launched by yeondon Ball Katsu, an affiliate franchise of Theborn Korea.
Resurfaced Past Controversies
The recent backlash has brought renewed attention to past controversies involving Mr. Paik. One such incident involves a video uploaded to Paik’s YouTube channel in May 2024. The video allegedly showed an indoor liquefied petroleum gas canister near a brazier in an indoor kitchen, violating the Safety Control and Business of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act. This violation could result in fines of up to 40 million KRW.
Pro Tip
Always ensure compliance with safety regulations when handling flammable materials in a kitchen environment. Proper ventilation and storage are crucial.
Abuse of Power Allegations
More recently, on Apr. 21, former TV producer Kim Jae-hwan accused Mr. Paik of abusing his power during the 2015 live competition show My Little Television.
Paik gradually began making unreasonable demands on the broadcasting company,insisting that only his designated writers and filming teams be included in the programme.
Kim jae-hwan, former TV producer
Mr. Kim further elaborated on the potential impact of such demands:
This undermines the chemistry between the producer and the filming team, which is essential to the atmosphere of the show. If the filming team is only trying to please Paik,the on-set authority naturally shifts to him.
Kim Jae-hwan, former TV producer
Mr. Kim also alleged that Mr. Paik would remove cast members he disliked, with producers having to apologize on the chef’s behalf. He added:
Most stars are cautious when it comes to staff issues – but Paik was different. Once word got out that he had a close relationship with the TV executives, he got his way.
Kim Jae-hwan, former TV producer
However, not all staff members share this sentiment. Another producer from My Little Television told South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo that there was no abuse of power during their collaboration and that both the crew and Mr. Paik worked diligently to ensure the show’s success.
Future projects
Despite the ongoing controversies, Mr. Paik is still scheduled to appear in the second season of Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars, with filming reportedly already underway. He is also slated to appear in the third season of South Korean TV network tvN’s The Genius paik,where he opens Korean restaurants in foreign countries where few people know his name or Korean cuisine. His upcoming show Chef Of Antarctica is also set for release this year.
