[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Recently, The Born Korea, operated by culinary researcher and broadcaster Baek Jong-won, and the pork cutlet restaurant Yeondon have jointly embarked on a franchise business, sparking mixed reactions among self-employed business owners.
Yeondon is a restaurant that has established itself as a pork cutlet specialty restaurant after being featured on SBS variety show 'Baek Jong-won's Alley Restaurant.'
According to the dining industry on the 1st, The Born Korea Yeondon Volcatsu opened its second branch on September 27th on the 2nd floor of Starplex on Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
As this news spread, mixed opinions emerged within the self-employed community.
Some expressed concerns about the franchising of Yeondon, criticizing the sprawling business expansion. One netizen said, "I question whether it is appropriate for large franchise companies to enter neighborhood commercial districts," adding, "Baek Jong-won's franchise pursues mass sales at low prices, but ultimately, the ones who suffer from cutthroat competition are small business owners."
Another netizen took issue with Baek Jong-won's past statement that "there are no plans to franchise Yeondon." This netizen expressed discomfort over the reversal of his statement, saying, "Baek Jong-won is a businessman and Yeondon is a popular restaurant. I knew this would happen someday."
On the other hand, some argued that the controversy is excessive. They commented, "Those who operate franchises are also small business owners," and "Yeondon, a small restaurant, faces difficult situations due to long waiting lines, so wouldn't it be beneficial to receive help from experts?"
There were also voices of welcome, noting that with Yeondon Volcatsu's arrival in Seoul, people can now enjoy Yeondon's flavors closer to home.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
