“Australian Wagyu F1 is the first-generation crossbreed between a Japanese Wagyu bull and a local Australian cow. What’s important here is that the Japanese Wagyu itself belongs to the same Asian Yellow Cattle lineage as our Hanwoo.”
After the Meiji Restoration, Japan imported several breeds of cattle to improve meat quality.
Shorthorn, Simmental, and Brown Swiss — .
These Western breeds were crossbred with Japan’s native yellow cattle.
In the process, the resulting cattle inherited the body type and muscle mass of the Western breeds, while retaining the fat distribution and flavor characteristics of the native yellow cattle, creating the unique meat quality known today as “Wagyu.”
While its roots are the same as Hanwoo, the crossbreeding with Western breeds, Japan’s unique long-term grain-fattening methods, and meticulous husbandry combined to create the snowflake marbling known as *shimofuri*.
Professor Park nodded.
“Exactly. Genetically, it is correct to say they are closely related to Hanwoo. The term ‘F1’ refers to the first filial generation. The first generation of offspring from two different breeds is called F1.”
“Ah, thank you for the explanation, Professor. What’s even more important is Australia’s environment. The eastern region of Australia has a temperate climate similar to ours, which is advantageous for long-term grain-fattening. Wagyu F1 raised in such an environment looks very similar to Hanwoo in terms of appearance and marbling.”
I continued my explanation. Everyone was focused, looking like students attending a lecture.
“In particular, some Australian Wagyu producers have the Korean export market in mind. They tailor their long-term grain-fattening and shipping specifications to suit the tastes of Korean consumers. In some cases, they even reference Hanwoo-style feed formulations and management methods.”
In fact, several Australian Wagyu brands have adjusted their breeding and distribution systems to meet the demands of Korean buyers. Because of this, their meat color, marbling, and texture are often evaluated as being similar enough to be confused with Hanwoo.
PD Kim Tae-hyun asked a question.
“So, you’re saying they raise them with the Korean market in mind from the very beginning?”
“That’s correct. There are attempts to match the shipping age and post-slaughter aging period to Korean requirements. Of course, reproducing the exact meat quality of Hanwoo isn’t easy. However, if you only look at the appearance and marbling, even experts can get confused.”
Teacher Lee, perhaps feeling a bit embarrassed, chimed in.
“Haha, since you mixed in a breed like that, even experts like us were bound to be fooled.”
I finished with one final point.
“Ultimately, the fact that it has a similar appearance to Hanwoo but at a lower price is why it’s so easy for it to be passed off as fake Hanwoo.”
Since it was possible to produce meat that looked similar to Hanwoo at a cheaper price, some companies were increasingly exploiting this by mixing them. In a situation where even experts found it difficult to tell the difference, it was impossible for the general public to notice.
Silence fell over the studio for a few seconds. Soon, Kim Tae-hyun spoke up.
“You got it perfectly right, and your explanation was flawless.”
Kim Tae-hyun took a breath and finished the segment with a professional demeanor.
“Through the experiment conducted today with our experts, we were able to confirm two things.”
He looked directly into the camera.
“First, we were able to show just how difficult it is to distinguish mixed meat.”
The other participants nodded in unison.
“Second, through the in-depth knowledge of Boss Jeong and our other experts, I believe we were able to convey a lot of information to our viewers.”
Kim Tae-hyun looked at the participants.
“I would like to thank the five experts who appeared today. A special thanks to Boss Jung Junho, who showed us results that exceeded our expectations.”
I bowed my head humbly.
“It was a time to learn the truth about mixed meat and the difficult situation consumers are in. Viewers, we will see you again next week on ‘Dangerous Table’.”
The camera slowly zoomed out, and the recording ended.
“Cut!”
With the staff’s signal, the tense atmosphere instantly relaxed.
***
As the filming wrapped up, people began to leave one by one. I briefly greeted the other participants and was about to say goodbye to Kim Tae-hyun when he raised his hand.
“Boss Jeong, please wait a moment.”
Kim Tae-hyun approached after a short conversation with some staff members. He looked a bit embarrassed.
“To be honest… the reason I planned this segment was to increase the difficulty, fearing that the gap between your skills and the others would be too obvious.”
He scratched his head awkwardly. It was a candid confession. Most people wouldn’t reveal such behind-the-scenes details so easily, but he was surprisingly blunt.
“But it strangely ended up looking like I used some kind of trick. Contrary to my original intention, it made the difference between you and the others stand out even more… I’m worried the others might misunderstand.”
“Ah… did I overdo it?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Kim Tae-hyun gave an awkward laugh. I could read complex emotions on his face.
“The reason I went through with this plan was because Chef Park Seong-ho said the show would be bland if I didn’t prepare this much… I racked my brains with the staff in my own way.”
“Chef Park Seong-ho said that?”
“Yes. He said Boss Jeong’s skills are so extraordinary that ordinary tests wouldn’t be enough…”
Kim Tae-hyun laughed and shook his head.
“In the end, Chef Park was right. Anyway, thank you for making a great broadcast. I’m sure the viewers will find it interesting, even if the other participants have many complaints.”
He changed the subject.
“Oh, and Boss Jeong. After this broadcast airs, I think it will be much easier to make a formal appearance proposal.”
“Do you think so?”
“Of course. With the skills you showed today, the executives won’t have any objections. Honestly, that was also the reason we did this verification today.”
Kim Tae-hyun spoke with a satisfied expression.
“I’ll see the reaction to this broadcast and contact you soon. I think I’ll be able to give you a formal proposal next week.”
“Thank you. Thank you for the great opportunity.”
***
A few days later.
Mega Meat announced the results of their “first comprehensive inspection.” The specific emphasis on “first” hid their intention to drag the process out to a second or third round.
“As a result of the first comprehensive inspection of all farms supplying Mega Meat, it has been confirmed so far that some deficiencies were found in the shipping process of certain farms.”
The press release was full of phrases that strictly avoided definitive expressions.
“Further in-depth investigations are underway regarding the matter, and the results will be disclosed transparently as soon as the investigation is complete.”
They avoided mentioning the word “sow” and any specific problems as much as possible. Instead, the release was filled with vague terms like “deficiencies,” “under investigation,” and “scheduled for disclosure.”
“We have confirmed that there are no safety issues with all products currently in distribution, but we are conducting additional internal checks for more thorough verification.”
“However, in the case of the Gayong Branch, which is being speculated online as the store that sold the problematic products, the closure process has already been completed for business reasons. There are limitations in verifying the products at that specific branch. However, we would like to inform you that no problems were found in other branches that received products through the same distribution network.”
“Mega Meat will continue its transparent investigation to restore the trust of our customers and will take appropriate measures based on the results.”
Rather than an apology or admission of guilt, there were only vague future-tense expressions.
‘It was a strategy to use the closing of the Gayong Branch as a shield.’
I also learned why they had rushed to close the branch a few mornings ago. Stalling, avoiding responsibility, and downplaying the issue — it was a textbook response from the crisis management manual of an immoral company.
As time dragged on day by day, the issue surrounding Mega Meat was gradually dying down.
***
The official opening of Chef Kang Min-seok’s Hanwoo dining restaurant in Busan was 3 days away. Following the test shipment, today was the day to send the first full batch of meat to Busan.
I planned to send the meat that had been aged for 21 days along with the fresh meat for raw dishes via a delivery vehicle, while I took the KTX to Busan. I called CEO Yoon.
“CEO Yoon, I’m counting on you for the meat today. It’s a very important first transaction.”
“I know that better than anyone. Don’t worry. I’m going myself.”
“What? You’re going personally, CEO?”
“An employee is driving, so it’s fine.”
‘Did him going to Busan himself mean there was a problem?’
“Is there a problem, by any chance?”
CEO Yoon let out a laugh as he answered.
“Haha, you worry too much. I usually make it a point to go myself for the first transaction.”
“Ah, so you have such a principle. I thought…”
“You have to visit the client at least once to identify any issues. That way, if an employee says something later, I can understand it immediately. I need to check the road conditions, the unloading point, and things like that personally.”
“Ah… I see.”
Hearing CEO Yoon’s words made me feel a bit ashamed. The principle of always checking the first transaction personally. CEO Yoon’s words contained the philosophy of a true businessman. It was an attitude I needed to learn as well.
“Then… I’ll go with you in the truck.”
“You, Boss Jeong? The KTX would be more comfortable.”
“No. I can’t travel in comfort alone when you’re going personally, CEO. I’ll go with you.”
“Well, that’s great for me then. We can chat about various things on the way. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. I guess I should do the driving myself then. Haha.”
“Ah, is that how it works? Because of me… then I’ll just take the train…”
“No, no. There’s no need for that. I’d prefer to go with you, Boss Jeong.”
“I see… Then what time are we leaving?”
“How about we leave at 5:00 AM and arrive in the morning?”
It was early, but I had no reason to refuse. Rather, it was an opportunity to learn about CEO Yoon’s meticulousness firsthand.
***
Father and I came out early in the morning to prepare the meat. It was the task of vacuum-packing the aged Hanwoo by cut, which we had finished trimming the previous night. After 21 days of dry-aging, we had carefully removed the hard crust and mold layer that had formed and kept it refrigerated for a day.
The trimmed meat had a bright red color. As the moisture had properly evaporated during the aging process, the meat had become firm and carried a unique, deep aroma.
“Let’s pack the loin first,” Father said.
We worked by precisely dividing the cuts according to the list ordered by Chef Kang Min-seok. We prepared the loin, tenderloin, and ribs as aged meat, and decided to use fresh tenderloin for the raw meat dishes.
“We should also pack the special cuts.”
Father said as he took fresh meat out of the refrigerator. The freshest meat was indeed needed for raw consumption and for soups.
We placed each cut into the vacuum sealer and completely removed the air. We labeled them by distinguishing between aged and fresh meat and packed them in order.
CEO Yoon had prepared temperature control equipment this time as well.
“Boss Jeong, you remember how we sent it this way last time, right?”
CEO Yoon said, showing me the temperature data logger.
“We’ll use the same system this time.”
An employee brought by CEO Yoon placed the PCM ice packs in the dedicated EPS boxes.
“These EPS boxes have two to three times higher insulation than regular Styrofoam. And these PCM ice packs use what’s called phase-change material to accurately maintain the temperature at 2 degrees Celsius for 24 hours.”
CEO Yoon continued his explanation.
“Ordinary ice packs keep dropping in temperature as time passes, but PCM maintains the set temperature exactly. That’s why we use them for shipping high-end ingredients.”
“Chef Kang Min-seok’s reaction was really good last time, so I’m sure there won’t be any worries this time either.”
All preparations were finished 30 minutes earlier than expected.
“Shall we head out then?”
***
While riding in the truck, we only engaged in casual conversation. A well-connected man like CEO Yoon must have known about the major events that had occurred, but he simply lightened the mood with jokes. We continued talking about light topics such as the weather, recent truck fuel prices, and famous restaurants in Busan.
We stopped briefly at a rest area in the middle of the trip to have a cup of warm coffee and rest for a bit. CEO Yoon took a sip of his coffee and then casually brought it up.
“Actually, I wanted to call you, but I held back for fear of being a distraction.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I mean the recent situation. I was watching with bated breath.”
I was grateful for his consideration. He didn’t ask directly, but he had been paying attention.
“Thank you. I think I got through it well because you were looking out for me, CEO.”
“Looking out for you? Nonsense…”
“But CEO Yoon, the owners of the farms supplying Mega Meat that we visited together… none of them said anything to you or tried to harass you, did they?”
CEO Yoon laughed and waved his hand.
“Don’t worry about things like that. They know they didn’t do anything right, so what could they do? And do I look like someone who only has one place to buy meat?”
He spoke jokingly.
“I have business partners all over the country. Losing one isn’t a big deal, and gaining one won’t suddenly make me a billionaire.”
I could feel the presence of a true businessman in CEO Yoon’s relaxed attitude.
“Still, I’m sorry for putting you in a difficult spot because of me.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not the type to let things like that bother me.”
His words put me at ease. He was indeed a trustworthy partner. After finishing our coffee, I told CEO Yoon about a new idea I had.
“CEO, among the pigs coming from Brother Clean Farm, right now I’m only taking the top-tier ones that I go and pick out myself.”
“That’s right. But why bring that up all of a sudden?”
CEO Yoon turned his head to look at me. In the big picture I was designing, there was also a place for CEO Yoon.
“Even if the grade is a bit lower, wouldn’t the breeding environment be trustworthy as long as they’re pigs from Brother Clean Farm? The shop has grown, and with Mega Meat pulling out… I’m thinking of starting to sell the cost-effective pork I mentioned to you before.”
CEO Yoon brightened up.
“Of course! That’s the right way to go! It’s the people who deceive others with bad products that are the problem. There are plenty of people who like meat they can eat in abundance and at a low price. You’ve made a good decision.”
His positive reaction made me feel good as well.
“So… I was wondering if you could handle the entire logistics from the slaughterhouse to the processing in Majang-dong and then to our shop? It’s becoming too much for me to handle that part on my own now.”
CEO Yoon’s eyes sparkled.
lol mega meat be like “we investigated ourselves and found we didn’t do anything wrong”