Celebrity chef and entrepreneur Baek Jong Won has made a public appearance at a local festival following his clearance of multiple legal allegations, though public sentiment online remains largely negative.
On January 25, a video titled “Baek Jong Won Appears at Sangju Persimmon Festival with Mayor of Sangju” was uploaded to the YouTube channel Trot Workshop. The footage shows Baek touring the 2026 Sangju Persimmon Festival alongside Sangju Mayor Kang Young Seok and Kim Eung Seo, the owner of the restaurant Yeondon. Baek was seen greeting vendors and responding to photo requests from visitors, appearing relaxed as he walked through the event.
Baek had suspended his broadcasting activities last year amid a series of controversies and announced management reforms at his company, TheBorn Korea. He was subsequently investigated over allegations including violations of customs law, misleading country-of-origin labeling, and academic plagiarism. All cases were later dismissed, effectively concluding the legal proceedings.
Despite being cleared of wrongdoing, Baek’s return to public view has drawn critical reactions online. Some commenters questioned the appropriateness of his appearance at a publicly funded event, while others expressed discomfort with his potential return to television. Observers note that the backlash reflects lingering concerns over ethical issues, such as alleged workplace power abuse and recipe plagiarism, rather than legal liability.
Nevertheless, Baek continues to maintain a presence in the entertainment industry. Netflix’s culinary competition series 'Culinary Class Wars 2', in which he serves as a judge, has received favorable reviews, while tvN’s variety show 'Baek’s Global Food Challenge 3' is scheduled to premiere in February.
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