From Goodwill to Backlash: Why the Public Turned Away From Baek Jong-won and Theborn Korea

Tongyeong, Hongseong, and Geumsan Cut Ties With Theborn Korea
Mounting Controversies Fuel Rapid Decline in Consumer Sentiment
Carefully Built ‘Goodwill’ Image Backfires Like a Boomerang

Local governments have decided to cut ties with Theborn Korea for this year’s regional festivals. Mounting controversies surrounding the company and its CEO, Baek Jong-won, have soured public perception, prompting municipalities to change course one after another.

No More ‘Baek Jong-won’ at Local Festivals

According to the restaurant industry on the 1st, Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province—where Theborn Korea co-hosted the first “Fisherman’s Market” seafood festival last year—has chosen LG HelloVision as this year’s festival operator. Theborn Korea also bid but failed to win the contract, reportedly reflecting harsh criticism from last year’s event. At the time, visitors complained that despite heavy rain, no tents or shelters were provided, describing the venue as “a refugee camp.” Attendees also voiced frustration over long wait times for entry and food purchases, as well as frequent disruptions caused by ingredient shortages.

Other municipalities have followed suit. Geumsan and Hongseong in South Chungcheong Province both decided to end their partnerships with Theborn Korea this year. The move appears linked to food safety controversies at Hongseong’s barbecue festival last November, where pork was transported without proper refrigeration, sauces were sprayed using pesticide sprayers, and uncertified grills were used. In response, Hongseong County and the Hongju Cultural Tourism Foundation announced that this year’s festival will replace Theborn’s windmill barbecue grills with traditional iron pans and clay jars. Meanwhile, the Geumsan Ginseng Festival, co-hosted with Theborn since 2023, will now be held solely as a county-led event.

Lingering Negative Sentiment

Industry watchers believe that municipalities decided to end partnerships with Theborn Korea not only because of past festival failures but also due to mounting public backlash. Criticism of CEO Baek Jong-won and the company has steadily intensified, fueled by multiple controversies: the pricing of “Baekham” hams, the use of Brazilian chicken, mislabeled fruit content in Yeondon pork cutlet beer Gamgyul Oreum, alleged violations of farmland and mountain management laws linked to Baekseok Factory and Yeduk Academy, the posting of an employee “blacklist” on Saemaeul Restaurant’s online forum, and mislabeling of octopus origins at Hanshin Pocha. Currently, Baek and Theborn are reportedly facing around 20 investigations related to alleged violations of the Food Labeling and Advertising Act, Food Sanitation Act, Origin Labeling Act, Livestock Sanitation Act, Farmland Act, Customs Act, and even plagiarism of contract research reports.

As criticism failed to subside, Baek issued a formal apology on his YouTube channel and suspended his broadcasting activities. He said, “I have taken time for deep self-reflection and reviewed organizational issues throughout the company. With a determination as if cutting into bone, I will renew Theborn through communication with all employees and mark this as the first year of a second founding.” It was a decision to shift his focus fully from television personality to entrepreneur.

Still, negative perceptions of Baek and Theborn have not eased. The company’s brand image has suffered further damage from malicious YouTubers spreading unverified claims. Some creators have targeted franchise owners directly, accusing them of running brands based on “miscellaneous recipes rather than taste and quality,” using franchisees as “guinea pigs for business experiments,” or exploiting them as part of “fly-by-night” operations. In response, Theborn convened an emergency coexistence committee on July 13 and announced, together with franchise councils, that it would take strong action against the spread of false information. Franchise councils from ten brands—including Paik’s Coffee, Yeokjeon Udon, and Hanshin Pocha—agreed to release a joint statement after gathering consent from their members.

Why Did the Public Turn Away?

Some analysts argue that Baek Jong-won’s image as a “public figure” amplified the backlash against him. In social psychology, the misconduct of someone perceived as part of the in-group is seen as more emotionally damaging than mistakes by outsiders. To the public, Baek had long embodied the image of “an entrepreneur standing with ordinary people,” “the nation’s boss,” and “a warm, humble leader.” The numerous controversies tied to such a familiar figure delivered not just disappointment but a sense of betrayal—striking a deep emotional chord because someone once trusted had fallen short.

The clash between his television persona and his corporate reality also played a role. For most people, Baek exists as a single integrated figure. The warm, approachable presence on TV and the business executive running a major franchise are not clearly separated, making it easy for problems in the company’s operations to be perceived as his personal moral failings. Many who believed him to be a symbol of “positive influence” struggled to reconcile that image with allegations of legal violations and abuse of power.

Social comparison and a sense of deprivation further fueled public disappointment. Although Baek was regarded as a self-made success story, franchise owners under Theborn Korea have voiced strong complaints about high royalty fees, management interference, and lack of support from headquarters. For the general public—most of whom identify more with franchisees than with Baek—it became easier to view his long-cultivated “goodwill” image as hypocrisy. In effect, trust in Baek Jong-won has collapsed entirely.