"Baek Jong-won's 'First Developer of Daeppaesamgyeopsal' Claim Disputed... Court Rules 'Popular Since the 1980s'"

"Baek Jong-won Is Not the Originator of Daeppaesamgyeopsal," Claims Kim Jae-hwan PD
Franchisee Files Damages Lawsuit Over Kim's Allegations
Court Rules "Not False Information," Dismissing Plaintiff's Case

Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, previously claimed to have been the first to develop 'Daeppaesamgyeopsal' (thinly sliced pork belly), but the court ruled that this dish was already popular in the 1980s.

SBS 'Delicious Rendezvous' Broadcast Capture

According to Channel A and other sources on July 4, the Anyang Branch of the Suwon District Court ruled against the plaintiff on June 25 in a damages lawsuit filed by a The Born Korea franchisee. The lawsuit was filed against YouTuber and former journalist Kim Jae-hwan, who claimed that 'Daeppaesamgyeopsal did not originate with Baek Jong-won.'

The court stated, "It appears that Daeppaesamgyeopsal has been popular in Busan since the 1980s," and added, "This dish does not require any special manufacturing process, and when pork belly is thinly sliced with a meat slicer, it naturally forms a rolled shape." The court further pointed out, "Given the ongoing controversy surrounding CEO Baek, there is no evidence to suggest a direct link between the YouTuber’s video and any decline in sales," determining that Kim PD’s claims were made "for the public interest." The court also ruled that the plaintiff must bear the legal costs.

Previously, CEO Baek repeatedly asserted on broadcast that he was the first to develop Daeppaesamgyeopsal in 1993. He explained that, while trying to purchase a meat slicer, he ended up buying a ham slicer, and as he cut frozen pork belly, the meat rolled out in a way that resembled being shaved by a plane. Inspired by this form, he claimed to have introduced the 'Daeppaesamgyeopsal' menu for the first time.

The image of PD Jae-hwan Kim talking about how Daeppaesamgyeopsal originally existed. YouTube capture

However, Kim PD argued that Daeppaesamgyeopsal was already being sold in cities like Busan and Gwangju before 1993. To support his claim, Kim created a documentary series called 'Daeppae Road,' traveling to Busan, Masan, Gwangju, Cheongju, and other cities to interview owners of long-established restaurants that had been selling pork belly under the name 'Daeppaesamgyeopsal' since the 1980s. In Seoul, there was also a long-standing restaurant that had offered 'Daeppaesamgyeopsal' as a menu item since 1992.

In response, a The Born Korea franchisee filed a lawsuit against Kim PD, claiming that "the brand’s value was damaged and sales declined due to the spread of false suspicions."

However, The Born Korea stated, "This lawsuit was filed by an individual franchisee due to malicious videos by the YouTuber," and added, "We are preparing appropriate protective measures to ensure that franchisees are not repeatedly harmed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.