Baek Jong Won returns after six months as franchise owners protest and urge MBC to postpone ‘The Chef of South Polar’

Celebrity chef and entrepreneur Baek Jong Won is set to make a rapid return to television after a six-month hiatus, sparking backlash from franchise owners who are calling for MBC to delay the broadcast of his upcoming show 'The Chef of South Polar.'

On November 11, the National Franchisee Association and People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy held a press conference in front of MBC’s headquarters in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The groups demanded that MBC either postpone the airing of 'The Chef of South Polar,' scheduled to premiere on November 17, or remove Baek’s appearance from the program.

According to the association, Baek, the CEO of The Born Korea, has leveraged his public image built through numerous television appearances to aggressively expand his franchise business. They claim that this large-scale expansion has led to closures and financial losses among some franchise owners.

In response, The Born Korea dismissed the allegations, stating, “This press conference represents the views of only a very small portion of our approximately 3,000 franchise owners, limited to a specific brand.”

During the event, Jung Yoon Ki, co-chair of the Yeondon Pork Cutlet Franchisee Association, criticized Baek’s silence. “Baek Jong Won has yet to issue a sincere apology or official statement. If he is portrayed as a ‘warm-hearted leader’ on television amid ongoing conflicts, it will deeply wound the many franchise owners seeking fair resolution.”

Jung further argued that allowing Baek’s unexamined and favorable portrayal on air could result in public broadcasting being seen as protecting a controversial figure.

The groups urged MBC to reconsider its programming decision and suspend the broadcast until the disputes surrounding Baek and The Born Korea are properly addressed. If the network proceeds with the show, they insisted that Baek’s appearances should be edited out.

Baek Jong Won had previously announced a temporary withdrawal from television in May following a series of controversies. 'The Chef of South Polar,' which had been postponed in April, is currently slated to premiere on November 17.

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