"Received Great Help...Happy Thanks to CEO Baek Jongwon" Yeondon Owner Denies Exploitation Allegations

"Received Great Help from CEO Baek Both in the Past and Now"
Controversies Surrounding Theborn Korea Continue to Spread

Baek Jongwon, CEO of Theborn Korea, who has been facing a series of controversies, has been defended by the owner of Yeondon, with whom he has a close relationship. The Yeondon owner dismissed allegations of exploitation, stating, "Thanks to CEO Baek's help, I am living happily."

Kim Eungseo and Kim Soyeon, a couple operating Yeondon in Jeju Island, Baek Jongwon, CEO of Theborn Korea. Instagram

Previously, Kim Eungseo, the owner of Yeondon, mentioned on a TV program that the restaurant's sales in 2021 were 1.3 billion won, but after deducting costs for ingredients and rent, only 70 million won remained. Recently, as Theborn Korea has been embroiled in constant controversy and the so-called "Baek Jongwon risk" has emerged, some YouTubers edited this footage and claimed that Kim was being exploited by CEO Baek.

In response, on April 18, Kim posted on social media, saying, "There have been many strange rumors lately about my relationship with CEO Baek, so I am writing this post." He added, "I saw a post claiming that the profit was extremely low compared to the 2021 sales. This was because, due to COVID-19, it was not a situation where we could increase sales. At the same time, it was not possible to reduce expenses either. I was never upset about this." With these comments, he dismissed the controversy.

He continued, "After that, thanks to CEO Baek's help, we moved to a larger location, and now both sales and profits have increased significantly." He explained, "Yeondon has received a great deal of help from CEO Baek, both in the past and now." He also said, "Now, thanks to CEO Baek's support, we have settled well in Jeju Island and are living happily."

In November 2018, Yeondon was struggling with management difficulties. However, after appearing on SBS's "Baek Jongwon's Alley Restaurant" Hong Eun-dong Pobangteo episode, the restaurant gained huge popularity for its outstanding taste. In 2019, with CEO Baek's help, Yeondon relocated near Theborn Hotel in Jeju Island. Since then, the restaurant has become so popular that reservations have been resold at a premium.

Theborn Korea, led by CEO Baek, has recently faced a series of negative incidents. Executives reportedly invited female job applicants to a drinking party under the pretense of a job interview and attempted inappropriate physical contact. As a result, the Cheonan branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor has launched an investigation into possible violations of the Fair Hiring Procedure Act (coercion in hiring) and the Labor Standards Act (workplace harassment).

In addition, "Baek Jongwon's Baekseok Doenjang," which has a factory in an agricultural promotion area where only domestic ingredients must be used, was found to have used imported ingredients, violating the Farmland Act. The garlic in "Hanshin Pocha Nakji Bokkeum," which was advertised as being made with domestic ingredients, was actually from China. Furthermore, a video showing CEO Baek cooking indoors next to a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder was released, resulting in a 1 million won fine for Theborn Korea for violating the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Control and Business Act. At the "2023 Hongseong Global Barbecue Festival," planned by Theborn Korea, a report was filed with the National Sinmungo that raw meat supplied to the festival had been left at room temperature and transported by truck, prompting a police investigation.

As the controversies continued, CEO Baek bowed his head at the first regular general shareholders' meeting last month, saying, "As a manager, I deeply regret not having managed things more thoroughly." On April 15, he also released an official statement on the company's website, saying, "We are accelerating fundamental innovation across our organizational culture and business systems," and added, "We are undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of both our internal systems and external operations, prioritizing ethical management and food safety above all else."