“How about this one?”
President Yoon pointed to another healthy-looking pig.
“That’s a regular. Its condition is good. Do you want to take it, President Yoon?”
The farm owner continued to sort the pigs. He seemed to have his own set of clear criteria.
“This one looks like it’s limping slightly… over there.”
“That one has a strange hair color… over there.”
“This one is fine. Regular.”
Even without being told, I knew that “over there” referred to Mega Meat. The selection continued. Pigs that were overweight, showed slight signs of illness, or were lethargic from stress were all categorized for Mega Meat. Conversely, the active and healthy-looking ones were marked as regulars.
‘So that’s how they divide them.’
Just then, President Yoon asked casually, “But sir, they aren’t fools either. Don’t they have any complaints? Doing it this way…”
“They know everything. It’s not like they’re being tricked. There’s a reason they turn a blind eye.”
He lowered his voice.
“If a problem arises with the meat, they can shift the responsibility to the farm. They can just blame it on some shady farm.”
The farm owner shrugged.
“They like it because they get it cheap, and if a problem occurs, it’s even better because they can play the victim of a wicked farm. As long as they pretend not to know, it’s two birds with one stone.”
I felt a chill at his words. Eventually, a comment slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.
“Only the people eating it are in the dark.”
“Why do you have to know everything to eat? As long as you buy it cheap and eat well, that’s enough,” the farm owner replied brusquely, glaring at me.
As the farm owner was about to move to the next section, I grabbed President Yoon’s arm.
“President, didn’t you say you wanted to look at the sows today?”
President Yoon stared at me, startled. His eyes grew wide, and his lips parted slightly. His expression clearly said, ‘What kind of nonsense is this?’
I quickly gave him a wink. I raised my eyebrows slightly, giving him a “please” look like a puppy. Whether he understood my intention or not, President Yoon rolled his neck and cleared his throat.
“Ahem… Oh, right. The sows, you mean?”
His voice was a pitch higher than usual. It was terrible acting. The farm owner tilted his head and stared intently at President Yoon.
“What’s gotten into you, President Yoon? You want to see the sows? This is the first time I’ve heard that in our three years of business.”
The farm owner’s gaze sharpened. He looked suspicious.
“Well… a new client looking for sow meat turned up recently. They said they’d take them if the price was right…”
“What kind of client? Is it a place I’d know?”
“I was just introduced to them, so I’m not sure yet… I’m going to try one transaction first and then judge.”
“Hmm…”
The farm owner thought for a moment and then shrugged.
“Well, I can show you. There isn’t much to see, though.”
He pointed toward a dilapidated building in the distance.
“That’s the sow barn over there. But don’t expect any quality, because every pig in there is going to that place.”
“Oh, of course I know that.”
“Then let’s go. But the smell is going to be pretty bad.”
We walked toward the sow barn. Located about 50 meters away from the regular finishing barns, this building definitely looked old. The paint on the exterior walls was peeling in places, and the roof was rusted.
As we approached the sow barn, the smell hit me hard. It was different from the musty smell of the finishing barns. Mixed with the scent of ammonia and manure was the stench of postpartum secretions and a pungent gaminess. It was even difficult to catch my breath.
“Ugh…”
I frowned and covered my nose.
“Sow barns are always like this,” President Yoon explained to me in a low voice. “They’re old female pigs, so their hormones are different, and they’ve been under a lot of stress from giving birth for a long time. Besides, since they’re pigs that’ll be slaughtered anyway, they don’t manage them much… that’s why the smell is so strong.”
The farm owner nonchalantly opened the iron door. My infiltration was a success.
“Sir, where do these sows usually go?”
The farm owner shrugged.
“What are you curious about? They go everywhere. Large companies take them, and a lot go to restaurants.”
“For restaurants?”
“Yeah. Places like spicy pork specialty shops or stew houses. They buy cheap and sell cheap, so it’s not like they’re doing anything wrong.”
That was true. The problem lay with those who bought cheap meat and lied to sell it at a high price. The farm owner spoke mockingly.
“Once the seasoning soaks into the meat, most people can’t tell the difference. Especially since they slice it thin. Restaurants that sell cheaply use a lot of this because of the price.”
President Yoon also whispered quietly from behind me.
“In dishes with strong seasoning, it’s really hard for anyone who isn’t an expert to tell them apart.”
I felt the urge to check the condition of the pigs.
“Sir, could I try touching one of the pigs?”
“Why touch those covered in manure? You have a strange personality. Do whatever you want.”
I reached out to a sow inside a pen. The skin I felt beneath the coarse hair lacked elasticity.
[Living Pig — Sow]
Breed: Three-way Crossbreed (LYD)
Age: 4 years, 2 months (Aged)
Current Weight: 298 kg
Expected Carcass Weight: 201 kg
Optimal Shipment Date: Immediate (Loss of reproductive capacity)
Expected Yield by Cut:
Pork Belly: 28.3 kg (Expected Grade: Grade 2)
Pork Neck: 12.1 kg
Front Leg: 24.7 kg
Hind Leg: 31.2 kg
Meat Quality Prediction: Intramuscular Fat ★☆☆☆☆
Meat Color: Dark (DFD phenomenon)
Water Holding Capacity: ★☆☆☆☆
Texture: Tough (Developed muscle fibers)
Odor: Strong (Hormones + Stress)
Stress Level: Very High
Medical History: Mastitis, arthritis
Antibiotic Use: Chronic (Therapeutic)
Special Notes: History of 12 births; extremely weakened state.
It was shocking. They were going to slaughter a pig in this condition and mix it with regular pork belly to sell? Even though it suffered from mastitis and arthritis?
The pork belly yield from its massive 298 kg body was 28.3 kg. That was nearly twice the amount of a regular finishing pig. From Mega Meat’s perspective, what a delicious business this must be.
They buy one sow for a pittance and get 28 kg of pork belly.
The quality was pathetic, but it was hard to distinguish with the naked eye. The volume was high, and the price was ridiculously low. This was truly the goose that laid golden eggs for Mega Meat.
I checked another sow next to it. It was similar. They were all weak and suffering from diseases.
“Do these kinds of pigs go to famous companies too?”
My voice trembled slightly as I asked. I felt angry, yet a corner of my heart was quietly sad. What was this ambivalent feeling?
“Of course. It’s all money,” the farm owner said as if it were obvious.
***
The farm owner brushed off his hands and walked out of the sow barn.
“Alright. You’ve seen everything, right?”
President Yoon nodded. “Yes, I saw it well.”
“Then, shall we talk business?”
The farm owner headed toward the regular finishing barns. We followed him.
“Among the ones going out this week, there are about fifty pigs that are decent.”
The farm owner pointed to a pen containing healthy finishing pigs.
“How’s the quality?”
“They’re good enough to get Grade 1. Your clients will like them, President Yoon.”
President Yoon examined the pigs in the pen. They were markedly different from the sows we had just seen. They looked active and healthy.
“How much per kilogram?”
“5,200 won. How’s that?”
“Fifty pigs… I’ll think about it and contact you immediately.”
“Just give me an answer by tomorrow. It’s not something I need to move urgently.”
The farm owner held out his hand.
“Good work today.”
“Thank you. I’ll review it well and get back to you.”
“Right. Your transactions are always solid, President Yoon.”
The farm owner gave me a quick glance and nodded.
“Train your employee well.”
I also gave a final greeting. “Good work, sir.”
***
As we got into the car, President Yoon sighed.
“Now, let’s head to Eumseong. It’ll be a bit different there.”
“In what way?”
“There… well… it’s hard to explain. You’ll have to see it for yourself to know.”
I had a feeling I was about to see something even more serious. As he started the engine, he muttered.
“The Eumseong farm is truly exclusive to Mega Meat.”
As the car began to move, President Yoon asked, “By the way, President Jeong, about you suddenly bringing up sows earlier… was there a reason for that?”
“Pardon?”
“We were only looking at regular finishing pigs, then suddenly you wanted to see sows. I was a bit flustered.”
President Yoon stopped at a red light and looked at me.
“Oh… just… I was curious. I wanted to see what kind of meat Mega Meat buys.”
“Ah… but why are you so interested in Mega Meat?” President Yoon asked curiously.
I contemplated for a moment. Since my face was already out there on the internet, I figured it would be better to be honest with President Yoon.
I went into a long explanation of everything that had happened. While I spoke, President Yoon’s eyes sparkled like a child listening to a fairy tale.
“Ah, so that’s why you were curious about Mega Meat’s pork. Now I understand. I was debating whether or not to ask.”
“Yes, I wanted to see for myself what kind of meat they sell.”
President Yoon chuckled. “But President Jeong, that’s like hitting a rock with an egg.”
“Pardon?”
“Even if you know what kind of meat Mega Meat sells, they’ve already created all the loopholes to escape. Even if you report them, Mega Meat won’t be punished.”
President Yoon said as he exhaled cigarette smoke.
“Didn’t you hear back at the farm? What the farm owner said.”
“That if a problem arises, they shift the blame to the farm…”
“Exactly. Mega Meat will never take legal responsibility. Everything falls on the farm or a middleman distributor like me.”
“Even so…”
“It’s no use. The system is already built that way.”
“…”
Sensing the heavy atmosphere, President Yoon changed the subject.
“Anyway, how was the first farm?”
“It was shocking. Especially the sow barn…”
“Right? But that place is actually one of the better ones.”
President Yoon said as he pulled out another cigarette.
“How is it one of the better ones?”
“At least they separate the healthy pigs from the problematic ones. And they manage the sows separately.”
“Is the place we’re going now different?”
President Yoon paused for a moment.
“The Eumseong farm… is a completely different concept. Over there, it’s an exclusive Mega Meat farm.”
“Exclusive?”
“Yes, over 90% of their production goes to Mega Meat. Because of that, Mega Meat has specific requirements. They set the number of heads, request specific weights… they even designate the feed.”
“Even the feed?”
“Yes. Two or three weeks before shipment, they have to use a special feed that Mega Meat wants. Of course, none of that is in the contract.”
President Yoon laughed bitterly.
“The farm has to take the hint and do it on their own. If they don’t comply, there’s no next contract.”
“Then, from the farm’s perspective…”
“They have no choice. Mega Meat’s volume is just too large. That’s why President Lee has no choice but to follow along.”
President Yoon stared out the window for a moment before speaking again.
“But President Jeong, don’t look at the world too darkly.”
“Pardon?”
“As you saw, it’s true that farms like this exist, but there are also many places that manage cleanly and raise pigs with integrity. You know that just by looking at Brotherly Clean Farm, right?”
He glanced at me and smiled.
“I say this because I’m worried a young person might get too disappointed with the world. Remember that what you see today isn’t everything.”
“Thank you for the kind words.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m just… telling you not to lose your sense of balance. That way, you can judge things coolly no matter what you do.”
The scenery passed quickly outside the car window. It was a peaceful rural landscape. It was hard to believe such things were happening in such a tranquil place.
As President Yoon rolled down the window slightly, the scent of grass poured in along with a cool breeze. Due to yesterday’s fatigue, my eyelids began to droop.
***
Had I dozed off for about ten minutes? My phone rang. It was an unknown number.
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Representative Jeong Jun-ho? I’m Kang Min-seok.”
I heard the polite voice of a young man.
“Ah, you’re the person Chef Park Seong-ho introduced me to. Hello.”
“Yes, that’s right. My opening date is approaching, so I called out of urgency.”
I could sense the desperation in his voice.
“I was wondering if I could receive a small amount of aged meat in advance. Just as a sample.”
“Yes, of course. If you tell me which cuts you want, I’ll prepare them immediately and send them over.”
“Thank you so much. But… if we do end up doing business, how do you plan to ship the meat?”
Shipping methods… I was still thinking about that.
“I apologize. I’m currently considering various methods. There is quite a distance to Busan…”
“Ah, I see. Understood. Let’s get the samples first and then talk.”
“Yes, let’s do that. If you leave your contact information, I’ll have my staff reach out to you immediately.”
After finishing the call and hanging up, President Yoon asked, “Do you have business in Busan too?”
“It’s someone Chef Park Seong-ho introduced. He’s opening a new restaurant and wants aged meat.”
“Park Seong-ho?! The one who appears on TV?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Wait, President Jeong! I see now that you’re a big shot in the industry. You aren’t someone a guy like me should be dragging around and teaching. I only felt bad because a young man seemed to be working so hard alone. Haha.”
The way President Yoon looked at me changed instantly. He laughed with exaggerated gestures.
“If you have connections with a chef of Park Seong-ho’s caliber, aren’t you already successful? I don’t know why a guy like me was worrying about you.”
“No, I was just lucky.”
“Luck? Come on… does a man like Park Seong-ho introduce suppliers to just anyone? It’s because the taste of your meat was recognized.”
President Yoon suddenly wore a serious expression and shook his head.
“It’s just unfortunate that it’s so far away.”
“I figured if I can manage Busan, I can manage anywhere in the country.”
“A positive mindset is good, but shipping all the way to Busan is a real headache. It’s not the kind of thing you can just send via regular courier, is it? Even for a small amount, shipping refrigerated all the way to Busan would cost at least 40,000 to 50,000 won for a one-way trip.”
“That’s why I’m looking into several options. For the time being, I’m planning to do it even if it means reducing my margins.”
This was on a different level than individual online orders. Individual customers ordered in units of 1 or 2 kg, but restaurants ordered 30 to 50 kg or more at a time — sometimes as much as 100 kg. The method I was using for online shipping was inefficient and would only drive up unit costs, which would inevitably eat into my margins. Furthermore, aged meat was sensitive to temperature, making quality control difficult with that method.
“It has to go in a refrigerated truck, and then there’s fuel costs plus the driver’s labor. Plus, if it’s aged meat, the temperature management is tricky.”
He seemed lost in thought for a moment.
“Hmm… I actually make regular deliveries toward Busan. Twice a week.”
“Really?”
“I have a few restaurants I deal with in the Busan area. It would save a lot on shipping if we loaded yours on the same truck that’s already going.”
President Yoon made a suggestion.
“Actually, it’s good for me too. A refrigerated truck only makes sense when it’s full, but in reality, it’s rare to fill it 100%.”
“Ah…”
“If the truck’s cargo space is only half full when going to Busan, the remaining space doesn’t earn money while fuel and labor costs remain the same. It’s a total loss.”
He gestured as he explained.
“If we load your volume together, that empty space gets filled and transportation efficiency improves. The overall logistics unit cost gets distributed too.”
It was a rational explanation.
“Of course, I’d have to charge a basic shipping fee, but it’ll be much cheaper than you doing individual shipments on your own. Most importantly, I can ensure the temperature management for the aged meat is solid.”
“Oh, for you to make such an offer… thank you so much.”
“Well, it’s not a difficult task, and it’s something that helps us both. This is what collaboration is all about.”
He laughed and added.
“In exchange, I have a favor to ask too.”
President Yoon stealthily pulled out another cigarette and put it in his mouth. Now, whenever he put a cigarette to his lips, I found myself rolling down the window without even thinking. I was undergoing a conditional reflex, just like Pavlov’s dog.
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This is pretty good!