Baek Jong-won Breaks Silence After Private Meeting with Kim Jae-hwan

Amid the intensifying Baek Jong-won controversy, the celebrity chef and food entrepreneur has finally broken his silence following a high-profile, private meeting with Studio Ohjaena’s PD Kim Jae-hwan. Kim, who previously exposed Baek’s alleged behind-the-scenes broadcast behavior, revealed that the two spoke in depth for more than four hours—hinting that the scandal surrounding Baek and Dubon Korea may be far from over.

A Tense Airport Encounter and Four-Hour Discussion

According to Kim Jae-hwan, he waited for Baek Jong-won at the airport as he returned from France after filming tvN’s Jangsa Genius Paiksang 3. The two then met the next day at Baek’s company headquarters for an intense one-on-one conversation that lasted four and a half hours. Kim noted that Baek appeared hesitant but eventually opened up about his thoughts on the ongoing backlash.

This comes just days after Baek Jong-won publicly pledged to step back from broadcasting to focus on internal reform at Dubon Korea. In a May 6 YouTube video, Baek apologized and vowed to tackle the core issues within his company, describing the process as “shaving my bones.”

Studio Ohjaena Teases Explosive New Footage

The Baek Jong-won controversy took another twist when Studio Ohjaena released a teaser video titled “Notice of Video Release on May 13 at 10 AM,” promising to share footage from the four-hour meeting. In the teaser, Kim confronts Baek at the airport, with Baek reacting sharply: “Why can’t you just leave me alone? You have a grudge against me?”

The clip also shows Baek pushing back against pesticide allegations, dismissing them as extreme and “insane.” Viewers were quick to note the dismissive tone, especially since Baek had already apologized for using pesticide sprayers.

New Allegations and Police Investigation

As the controversy grows, Baek Jong-won and Dubon Korea now face a formal police investigation for allegedly violating the Food Sanitation Act. Seoul’s Gangnam Police Station received a complaint that Dubon Korea outsourced chicken fryer manufacturing to an unlicensed contractor and distributed the fryers to franchise branches like 54BEERS without proper inspections.

In response, Dubon Korea announced a ₩3 billion support fund to assist franchisees and promised that Baek Jong-won will personally visit store owners nationwide to build a more transparent cooperative model. The announcement follows Baek’s apology video, where he outlined steps for damage control and rebuilding public trust.

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Baek Jong-won Confirms He’ll Step Back

In his statement, Baek reiterated his intention to withdraw from all new TV appearances, acknowledging ongoing criticisms about his overlapping roles as a business mogul and television personality. However, he will continue to appear in a few remaining projects that were already in production, drawing further criticism about the sincerity of his promised broadcasting break.

Addressing allegations of so-called “broadcast abuse,” Baek stated: “As a listed company CEO, I understand the concerns about pursuing broadcast work in parallel. This criticism is deserved, and I take full responsibility if anyone was hurt by my actions or words.”

What’s Next for the Baek Jong-won Controversy?

Kim Jae-hwan shared that the private meeting explored misunderstandings and conflicting perspectives but stopped short of saying whether further talks would happen. “I don’t want conflict,” Kim explained. “But if there’s bribery, I’ll take it and expose it. We’ll see how this plays out.”

With Studio Ohjaena’s upcoming video promising new revelations, public attention is squarely focused on what might emerge next in the Baek Jong-won controversy. For now, the industry and viewers alike are waiting to see whether Baek’s promises of reform and silence can rebuild the trust that has eroded so quickly. For more Korean entertainment news, check out the link below.

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