Hidden Gem Meats.
I slowly looked over the frozen pork belly I had brought back once more.
Then, I took out my phone.
“Brother, what are you doing?”
Min-jae asked.
“Reporting them.”
“Huh? I thought your father said we should think about it?”
“If I don’t do it, my father will never be able to bring himself to report them. And it has to be done before the evidence disappears.”
“But brother, won’t this make Father and Mr. Choi complete enemies?”
“He wasn’t someone who acted like a neighbor in the first place.”
“Still… maybe we should be more cautious…”
“Min-jae, if a neighbor living in your same apartment building robbed your house, the house next door, and even the floor below you, would you think about it cautiously before reporting them?”
“Well… brother, is that really the same thing?”
“Hey!! This is even worse!”
When I suddenly snapped at him, Min-jae shrank back a little.
I put down my phone and looked at Min-jae.
“Sorry for yelling. But Min-jae, if Mr. Choi sells Chilean meat at domestic prices, how much of a margin do you think he’s making?”
“A huge one, I’m sure…”
“At least 10,000 won per kilogram. If he sells 10 kilograms a day, that’s a 100,000 won profit.”
“In a month… 3 million won?”
“Exactly. And whose pocket did that 3 million won come from?”
“The customers…”
“Right. It came from the pockets of the neighbors who live in this area and trusted him. If this isn’t stealing, what is? And if something goes even slightly wrong, it could harm the customers’ health.”
“That’s true…”
“A thief only steals money, but people like that are willing to steal their neighbors’ health too. It’s worse than common theft.”
I picked up my phone again.
“And do you know what the other problem is?”
“What is it?”
“If this gets bigger, people will start perceiving all market butcher shops as scammers. Then, all the independent butcher shops will die out, and in the end, only Mega Meat will benefit. This probably isn’t the first time something like this has happened in an alley where Mega Meat has moved in. Eventually, things go exactly the way Mega Meat wants them to. The local butcher shops end up self-destructing.”
Min-jae nodded his head.
“We can’t let the entire market’s reputation be lost because of one man like Mr. Choi. If we don’t cut him out now, we all die together.”
I entered the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS) website.
Report False Origin Labeling.
[Report Details]
Business Name: Choi Dae-gam Meats
Violation: Suspected of selling imported frozen meat (likely Chilean) labeled and sold as domestic pork belly.
Evidence: Purchase receipt (2025.08.07), packaging photos, remaining meat sample.
Date of Purchase: August 7, 2025
Date of Discovery: August 8, 2025
“Brother, right now?”
“Yeah. No matter how many times I think about it, this is the right thing to do. I’m absolutely not doing this because of my feelings about what happened back then with Mr. Choi.”
“I know. I know you’re not that kind of person.”
I also had the contact information for that lady from earlier.
I placed a call.
“Ma’am, I’m the son from Jun-ho’s butcher shop. Do you happen to still have that receipt you showed me earlier?”
“Oh, why?”
“I’m going to report it to the Quality Management Service. It’s true that the origin was faked.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and since you are a victim as well, I thought it would be good if you reported it too.”
“Oh my, what a bad person. Playing tricks with food. I’ll report it too! I have the receipt!”
Report submission complete.
I also attached the photos.
The next morning.
“Jun-ho!!!”
My father called for me.
His voice sounded flustered.
“I got a call from the Quality Management Service…”
“Yes, I reported it.”
“What?”
Father looked at me with startled eyes.
“Why would you do that on your own…”
“You wouldn’t have been able to do it, Father.”
“Still…”
“Father, please sit down for a moment. I want to ask you something.”
I sat in a chair facing my father.
“If a doctor at a hospital sold a patient fake medicine while claiming it was real, what should be done?”
“Well… obviously they should be reported.”
“Is food different from medicine? It’s meat that people eat every day; is it okay to deceive them about that?”
“…”
“Father, you know very well how much profit is made by faking domestic origin.”
“…”
“All that money is money paid by local customers who were deceived.”
Father’s expression hardened.
“And more importantly, what will happen if this gets bigger?”
“If it gets bigger?”
“People will say independent butcher shops can’t be trusted. That’s what will happen. Then Mr. Kim, Mr. Lee, and even we will suffer.”
Father let out a sigh.
“Mega Meat might be questionable in terms of meat quality, but at the very least, they don’t lie about the origin. But if we do? Why should customers come to us?”
“…”
“A single cancer cell ruins the entire body. One person like Mr. Choi can kill all of us.”
Father slowly nodded his head.
“Yes… you’re… right.”
“Affection between neighbors is important. But trust is even more important. That’s the basic foundation of business.”
“…The Quality Management Service said they are coming today.”
“I’ll speak with them.”
Father looked at me with a complicated expression.
“Sigh… still, it feels so… heartless…”
“No. Rather, this is true kindness.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“If it’s true kindness, we should stop Mr. Choi before he commits a bigger crime. Right now, it will probably end with a fine or a business suspension. But if the amount gets larger or if it’s repeated, it leads directly to criminal charges. Even for a first offense, if it’s severe enough, prison time is possible.”
Father lowered his head.
“Yes, that is true.”
Father let out a long sigh.
“Fine… you’re right. I was being too sentimental.”
“It’s only natural for you to be that way, Father. That’s why I’m the one doing it.”
“…”
“You told me to be successful, didn’t you? If I break principles because of sentiment, I won’t be able to succeed here. Please understand.”
*****
2:00 PM.
Two officials from the Quality Management Service arrived.
One was carrying a bag with inspection tools, and the other held a tablet.
“Are you the person who filed the report?”
“Yes, I reported it.”
The official showed his ID.
It read ‘Special Judicial Police Officer, National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service.’
“First, we will verify the contents of the report. You reported that Choi Dae-gam Meats sold imported meat as domestic, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I took out the materials I had prepared.
The meat sample, photos, receipts, and the analysis report I had organized.
“This is the pork belly in question. The buyer kept it in frozen storage at home.”
The official put on disposable gloves and checked the meat.
“I’ll verify the receipt. Purchased on August 7th, 2kg of domestic pork belly for 43,600 won.”
He spoke while recording it on the tablet.
“At this price, it’s definitely the price for domestic meat.”
The other official took out sterilized tools.
“We will take a specimen. We’ll take 50g for DNA testing and 30g for fatty acid analysis.”
They cut it precisely with a knife and placed the pieces into separate sealed bags.
Then, they attached labels.
[Specimen Number: 2025-GN-0810-001]
[Collection Location: Provided by reporter]
[Item: Pork (Pork Belly)]
“Oho, you analyzed it in this much detail?”
The official marveled while looking at the report.
“Drip volume, change in fat color, muscle tissue condition… this is at a professional level.”
“Since I’m in the meat business, I’ve come to know a few things.”
“We will submit this data as evidence as well. I think it will be helpful.”
The official explained while applying sealing tape.
“We will determine the origin through DNA testing. Imported and domestic meat have different genetic markers, so they can be distinguished accurately.”
“Can you also tell if it was frozen and then thawed?”
“It shows up if you analyze the fatty acid composition. The fatty acid structure changes during the freezing and thawing process.”
The other official added.
“Now we will go to the reported business for an on-site inspection. we plan to collect specimens from the meat currently on sale as well.”
“What if Mr. Choi refuses?”
“He cannot refuse. We have the power of mandatory investigation under the Agricultural Products Quality Management Act. Refusing is a punishable offense in itself.”
The official handed me a business card.
“We will contact you once the test results are out. If a violation is confirmed…”
He spoke while looking at his tablet.
“If it’s the first time being caught, it’s a fine and business suspension. However, if it’s habitual or large-scale, criminal prosecution is also possible.”
“Thank you.”
“Ah, and are you aware of the whistleblower reward system?”
“A reward?”
“If a violation of origin is detected, a reward may be paid to the reporter.”
“Ah, I’m fine without that.”
Father waved his hand dismissively.
“We didn’t report it to get a reward.”
“Still, it’s a legitimate right…”
“No, it’s really fine.”
Father said firmly.
“I don’t want to receive money like that. Money received for reporting a neighbor…”
The official nodded as if he understood.
“I see. Regardless, the procedural guidance will be sent out. You can express your intent to waive it later.”
I understood my father’s heart as well.
The report was for the sake of principles, not for money.
“Well then, we’ll be off for the on-site inspection.”
The officials stood up.
As they reached the door, one official looked back.
“Truly, this is a courageous report. It couldn’t have been easy to report a neighboring shop.”
“…”
“But it’s reports like this that keep the market clean.”
After the officials left, Father muttered to himself.
“A reward… what would I even do with money like that.”
“Father…”
“I know. Even so, what you did was the right thing.”
30 minutes later.
A loud noise could be heard from outside.
“Wow… I’ve lived a long time, but I’ve never seen anything like this. That man, Mr. Choi…”
It was Mr. Lee’s voice.
Father and I went outside.
In front of the laundromat, Mr. Lee and Mr. Kim were speaking passionately to the laundromat owner.
“We all agreed to match our prices at 2,180 won!”
Mr. Kim said, full of rage.
“To think he was secretly trying to profit by playing tricks with imported meat… in these difficult times.”
“Exactly. We were selling at a loss…”
“And yet he was always the one complaining the most about how hard things were.”
“Right! I wonder how much he was laughing at us on the inside?”
Mr. Lee chimed in.
“He was the one foaming at the mouth saying we should stick to the price first, and then he goes and plays tricks alone behind our backs!”
“He’s absolute trash…”
Mr. Park, the laundromat owner who was stuck in the middle of their conversation, had an uncomfortable expression.
He stepped back as if he didn’t want to keep listening.
“That’s why I always said it. Mr. Choi is not a man to be trusted!”
Mr. Kim raised his voice.
“He got properly caught this time, so he’ll probably go bankrupt. Good riddance!”
“Of course! He got what he deserved!”
I couldn’t listen to any more.
I brushed off my father’s attempt to stop me and stepped forward.
“Gentlemen, that’s enough.”
“Huh? What?”
“Is this something you’re so proud of that you’re blabbing about it here?”
My voice was cold.
“You were all for deceiving customers together, so are you proud to be talking about being betrayed now?”
“Wh… what?”
Mr. Lee was flustered.
“Aren’t you two the same as Mr. Choi?”
“You… you brat…”
“At the very least, be quiet in front of other people. Have some shame.”
Mr. Kim and Mr. Lee’s faces turned red.
“Le… let’s go.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
The two of them hurriedly left the scene.
The laundromat owner let out a sigh.
“Thanks, Jun-ho. I didn’t want to hear it, but they kept talking to me.”
“I’m sorry. The neighborhood has become noisy because of me.”
“No. You’re right, Jun-ho. But it seems like everyone is out of their minds lately.”
He smiled lonely and went back into the laundromat.
Father patted my shoulder.
“Let’s go inside.”
“This is really bitter.”
“What are we doing to each other just because it’s hard to make a living…”
Under the pressure from Mega Meat, the market merchants were biting each other.
But if we deceive each other while fighting Mega Meat, we all die.
I thought to myself.
‘If we’re all going to die anyway, it’s better that only the honest shops survive.’\
*****
A few days later.
“Owner Jung!”
The laundromat owner came running in, out of breath.
“The results for Mr. Choi’s shop came out.”
“What happened?”
“A 5-million-won fine and a 7-day business suspension.”
Father let out a sigh.
“Is that so?”
“They said it ended at that because it was the first time being caught. But there’s a bigger problem than the business suspension…”
“What is it?”
“Customers aren’t going there at all. Even regulars of decades have turned their backs.”
It was to be expected.
In a small neighborhood, a rumor about faking the origin of products was fatal.
“Yesterday, I saw Mr. Choi’s wife crying while she was cleaning. They can’t do business, and there are no customers.”
The laundromat owner said bitterly.
“I don’t think it’ll matter even after the suspension ends. It’s already over.”
*****
In the afternoon, at the market entrance.
Mr. Kim and Mr. Lee were gathered together, sighing.
“Business isn’t going well, is it?”
“The customers are suspicious of me too.”
Mr. Kim had a victimized expression.
“I’ve been doing business honestly…”
“Me too. But the customers don’t believe me.”
Mr. Lee looked around.
“Earlier, a regular lady asked me if I was deceiving people like Mr. Choi.”
“Because we charged the same price…”
The expressions of the two men were dark.
Min-jae, who was passing by, whispered next to me.
“Brother, those people are in big trouble.”
“I guess so.”
“But are we okay?”
“We didn’t sell pork belly in the first place.”
“Ah…”
It was ironic.
The fact that we gave up on pork belly had actually become evidence of our trustworthiness.
*****
Min-jae, who had returned to the shop and was working on the computer, called out to me.
“Brother, look at this.”
Min-jae turned the screen to show me.
It was a post from a local ‘Mom Cafe.’
[Gayoung-dong Mom Cafe – Urgent Share!!!]
!!Sharing the butcher origin fraud case!!
- They say Choi Dae-gam Meats faked imported meat as domestic.
- Apparently, they got a 5-million-won fine and a 7-day business suspension.
- This is meat for our kids to eat, I’m so angry!
Comments were going up in real-time.
“Brother, look at the speed of the comments. It’s insane.”
[237 Comments]
- Oh my god… I bought from there?
- I was a regular too, I feel so betrayed.
- Come to think of it, the prices at the market butcher shops were all the same.
- Yeah, the two shops next door were both 2,180 won.
- Omg, weren’t they in on it together?
- It’s price-fixing, price-fixing lol.
- A large corporation like Mega Meat is better.
“This… is moving really fast.”
Their speed was truly remarkable.
In the year 2157, there was a new technology called brainwave transmission.
A technology that transmitted messages instantly just by thinking.
Without the need for typing or voice, the thoughts in one’s head were delivered directly to the other person’s brain in 0.1 seconds.
That system, called ‘BrainNet,’ was considered the pinnacle of human communication.
However, the speed of the Mom Cafe in 2025 was not far behind.
The speed at which information spread to 1,500 people with just a few finger movements, making the whole neighborhood know within 10 minutes.
Even without brainwave transmission, their network was fast enough.
“Brother, this isn’t the end.”