#SHOWBIZ: 'Culinary Class Wars' Paik Jong-won accused of workplace bullying, food regulation violations

New Straits Times

30-04-2025

SEOUL: Korean celebrity chef and food-and-beverage mogul Paik Jong-won, known for his Netflix show Culinary Class Wars and his extensive culinary empire, is facing a growing storm of controversies, ranging from allegations of workplace abuse to violations of food regulations.
The 58-year-old Paik was recently reported to authorities for alleged breaches of country-of-origin labeling laws.
His company, Theborn Korea, is accused of mislabeling a soybean paste as domestically made, despite using imported ingredients.
Adding to Theborn Korea's woes, the company is also under scrutiny for allegedly violating the Farmland Act by producing the same soybean paste in an agricultural promotion zone, where the use of foreign raw materials is prohibited.
Paik's culinary offerings have also come under fire. His line of canned ham, or luncheon meat, is reportedly priced higher than industry leader Spam but contains less meat.
Similarly, his tangerine beer has drawn criticism for its purportedly minimal tangerine content.
Beyond food-related issues, a resurfaced YouTube video has drawn attention to a potential safety violation. Netizens pointed out that an indoor liquefied petroleum gas canister was placed near a brazier in one of Paik's old test kitchen videos, a breach of South Korea's Safety Control and Business of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act that could result in substantial fines.
The controversies extend beyond regulatory matters.
A former producer from South Korean broadcaster MBC has accused Paik of workplace power abuse during his time on the variety series My Little Television.
In a YouTube video, ex-producer Kim Jae-hwan alleged that Paik insisted on handpicking writers and filming crews and exerted influence to remove cast members he disliked, forcing producers to apologise to those affected.
However, a TV director who previously collaborated with Paik offered a contrasting perspective. Speaking to South Korean media outlet Korea Economic Daily, the director stated that no misconduct occurred during their professional relationship.
Despite the mounting controversies, Paik's presence in the South Korean entertainment scene remains significant, with several projects still in the pipeline.
He is slated to appear in the second season of Culinary Class Wars, though Netflix has declined to comment on his continued involvement.
Paik is also set to feature in the third season of tvN's reality series The Genius Paik, where he leads a group of celebrities in operating a restaurant abroad.
An online post circulating on April 27 included a photo, purportedly of Paik filming the new season in France, but tvN has not confirmed his participation.
Meanwhile, MBC has announced a delay in the airing of Chef Of Antarctica, a new show featuring Paik preparing meals for researchers at the South Pole.
The show, which also stars Exo member Suho, was initially scheduled for April, with filming completed at the end of 2024.