[Breaking News] Baek Jong-won announces return to YouTube after one-year hiatus

*This content was translated by AI. Baek Jong-won /Photo=NEWS1 Entertainer and food business executive Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Bon K, will return to YouTube after a one-year break. Baek Jong-won announced on the 5th that he will resume content activities through his YouTube channel "Baek Jong-won PAIK JONG WON" (hereinafter "Baek Jong-won"), which has 5.97 million subscribers. Baek Jong-won plans to focus on delivering Korean food culture in an easy and fun way through cooking content on the "Baek Jong-won" YouTube channel, while also introducing Korean cuisine to overseas users. Baek Jong-won declared a suspension of activities in May last year due to over 170 complaints and reports filed by certain civic groups, YouTubers, and users of community sites since shortly after the company's listing at the end of 2024. He was caught in a series of controversies, starting with the "Back Burger Gift Set" high-price dispute, followed by controversies over the fruit content in citrus-flavored beer, violations of origin labeling laws, violations of the Building Act, and suspicions of violating the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Management and Business Act. However, most cases were concluded without grounds for prosecution by early this year, resolving the suspicions. He had previously announced his return to YouTube activities to reporters after the shareholders' meeting concluded in March. Baek Jong-won's first video upon his return will be the popular "Cooking Room" program "Yori Bigak," which has been widely loved by subscribers. In his first "Yori Bigak" video, he presented "Ganjang Naeng-guksu" (soy sauce cold noodles) tailored to the early summer heat. On the "Baek Jong-won" channel, alongside "Yori Bigak," he plans to introduce Korean recipes and cooking methods that overseas users can easily follow under the subtitle "K-Vibe." The goal is to further strengthen content that contributes to the globalization of Korean cuisine. The existing popular segment "Nae-kkeo Nae-meok" will also be presented as Season 2. While the original "Nae-kkeo Nae-meok" focused on store management and operational checks, Season 2 will focus on mutual prosperity with store owners. The channel plans to develop unique regional limited menus using local specialties as ingredients, which will be sold only at stores in those regions, and introduce the process and story of actual store launches as video content. Separately from the "Baek Jong-won" channel, two additional YouTube channels, "TBK" and "The Bon NOW," will be newly reorganized and launched. The "TBK" channel will serve as a promotional channel introducing The Bon K's overseas expansion and brand menus, while the "The Bon NOW" channel will act as a window for delivering major company and brand news. A representative of The Bon K stated, "Baek Jong-won's YouTube channel will return to its original purpose, focusing solely on cooking content to contribute to the popularization and global spread of Korean cuisine, as well as mutual prosperity through the use of local ingredients." He added, "Company-related content that was mixed in the existing Baek Jong-won channel will be thoroughly separated and introduced through the 'TBK' and 'The Bon NOW' channels according to their respective natures." *This content was translated by AI.