Chapter 192
Chapter 192
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 192
Chapter Title: Fair Trade Verdict and Top Franchise Award
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"Has the result come out yet?"
The moment I arrived at work, I asked Jo Yi-ruk, who nodded and replied.
"Yes. Would you like to see it yourself?"
"Hand it over."
I opened the documents he passed me with my own hands.
The very first page had this written in bold, large letters.
「Dispute over False Information Provision by Food Service Headquarters」
What this meant was that the Fair Trade Commission had directly investigated whether what Chu Jong-wook claimed was true or not.
'After all that hassle. The results came out faster than I expected?'
I'd thought it would drag on past the new year.
Maybe because we cooperated well, or perhaps they wanted to wrap up the controversy quickly to save face for the FTC.
Either way, it was nothing but good for us.
Flip, flip.
I skipped through several pages. The middle sections were all much of the same.
「The applicant is accused of causing confusion by providing the respondent with fabricated projected sales figures and monthly average profits...」
I didn't need to read it to know.
Here, the 'applicant' was us—The Song—who had directly requested mediation from the FTC. The 'respondent,' on the other hand, was Chu Jong-wook.
The important part was the conclusion. Finally reaching the last page, I held my breath and slowly scanned the content.
● Adjustment Outcome
Under the mediation of the adjustment committee, the applicant and respondent reached an agreement: 'The respondent admits to spreading false information, offers a sincere apology, pays a settlement amount, and mutually terminates the contract in question.'
'Jackpot.'
I cheered inwardly. I'd put in so much effort just for this one sentence.
'The admission of spreading false information is explicitly stated.'
That's why, when the FTC pressured us to settle, I'd held firm that there could be no deal without this 'sincere apology and admission.'
"Whew. What a relief."
Even though I'd expected it, seeing it confirmed with my own eyes brought a fresh wave of emotion.
"And President Song, congratulations."
"Psh, it's not that big a deal. It was just needless drama. I knew it'd end like this."
"No, not that."
Not that?
I tilted my head, drawing a blank, when Jo Yi-ruk handed over another file.
"?"
What was this? I'd only dealt with the FTC stuff. Puzzled, I opened the file. The moment I read the text at the top, my eyes widened.
"......!"
Fair Trade Agreement Franchise Compliance Evaluation.
Just saying it aloud made my chest tighten—this unfamiliar, lengthy phrase carried heavy weight.
It was an annual FTC survey monitoring whether there were any unfair demands or conditions between franchisors and franchisees.
'They select and commend the top performers as examples for others.'
It didn't fundamentally change the power imbalance, but at least it put the brakes on franchisors taking excessive profits or outright abusing their position.
I'd known about the evaluation, but handing this to me with 'congratulations'?
I hurriedly flipped the pages.
1. Fair Contract Execution
2. Fair Profit Distribution
3. Franchisee Training and Support
...
The criteria were incredibly diverse: Had they introduced systems to stabilize early franchisees? Did they offer voluntary holidays for holidays or family events?
The Song's survey results followed in a neat list.
Unlike other franchise HQs, The Song went out of its way to accommodate franchise owners.
'It's only natural—you can't sustain it if they're burned out.'
Strict on hygiene and food quality, but we tried to be flexible with sales slumps or health issues.
'In the end, food business is people business.'
No franchise owners, no franchise HQ.
They stick around long-term and prosper together, and that's when we all win.
Some shortsighted folks think squeezing people dry is more profitable—like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Rustle.
Flipping further, the final line read:
「...Thus, The Song has faithfully adhered to fair contract execution and mutual trust-based operations between franchisor and franchisees, achieving the highest evaluation.」
The instant I read the final period, Jo Yi-ruk spoke up again.
"Congratulations. The FTC is issuing a commendation."
Right, there was a commendation too.
'No way. How bad must others be operating?'
Even accounting for our unannounced inspections—which could be seen as overreach—I hadn't expected a 'top excellence' rating.
If we're top-tier despite that, I couldn't even imagine the rest.
"I heard the main criterion this time was 'win-win.' Whether franchisors and franchisees are moving toward mutual prosperity. They focused on that a lot."
"We had that confidence."
It aligned perfectly with my management philosophy.
"Wow... The timing is unreal. The investigation results and an official FTC evaluation announcement dropping together."
Lucky break.
I grinned and said,
"This paints a great picture."
I pulled up a familiar name on my phone.
Reporter Kang Yu-ha.
She'd cook up something delicious with these ingredients.
- FTC Investigation Clears The Song of Franchisor Abuse Allegations as Baseless... Receives Top Excellence Award Instead
- Song Woo-yeon's The Song Shakes Off Abuse Claims, Earns Top Fair Trade Agreement Evaluation
- FTC Dismisses The Song Abuse Controversy... Selects as Top Fair Trade Agreement Company
Swipe, swipe. I scrolled down further to check the article comments.
→Can't trust the FTC. Arrest them all. Need a full investigation. They're all in on it. Rigged go-stop game.
→Our nation's young people are the future pillars. Always thought he had a kind heart from TV. Thumbs up indeed~~
→Rooting for you.
→What? The franchisee who cried abuse was full of lies? Don't live like that.
Now quite familiar with the drill, I checked other reactions too.
[LOL Song12Sugar's neutral gear got wrecked]
Abuse controversy was total BS
FTC hands them top award lololol
All the haters shut their mouths now, feels good
→Exactly lolol Hate fine but haters are straight-up trash lol
→SongSugar wrecked the haters
→Honestly, they self-reported to FTC knowing it'd turn out like this. No way they'd do that otherwise lol How else do you self-report?
→→Just gritted teeth and played dumb lolol
[SongS10 Recent News]
(Article attached)
Got FTC commendation yy
→Super likable
→Wait, wasn't there abuse drama recently lol
→→That's what got debunked
→→→Are you dumb or pretending? Brought it out for idiots like you
[Even with FTC results like this, who knows the real story?]
(Song Woo-yeon thumbs-up meme)
Hordes of Song-haters rushing in
Just smack your own head with that hand yy
→lolololololololololololololol
→Meme choice perfection lololol
[Song Woo-yeon Abuse Investigation Results Out]
(Article attached)
Investigation: No wrongdoing
→Knew it'd be this lololol You haters make him thrive, fact
→Saw tons of commenters delete and run from old posts
→→Bet they're deleting comments and pretending innocence while flaming here
→→Hater behavior on point
'Not a bad reaction.'
Maybe because the outcome was set the moment we self-reported to the FTC. It was mostly just putting haters in their place once more.
As long as the results spread far and wide, I didn't care.
The abuse controversy crowd was getting pummeled in the comments and hiding. Comment sections would stay clean for a while.
That's when it hit me.
Bzzz-.
My phone buzzed with a familiar number.
It was PD Kim Hee-sung.
"Hello?"
-Hey, Chef Song~. Saw the article, the FTC thing.
"You did. Was just about to call you."
The real reason this FTC investigation mattered was solely this. [Song Woo-yeon's Alley Secrets] was in production, named after me.
Without clearing this up definitively, the show would've caught heat for sure.
-I believed in you, Chef Song. But things don't always go as planned, right? Had a bit of 'what if' worry. Now I can relax.
"No need to say that. I'm the grateful one. Sticking with me despite the risk."
-Hahaha!
Kim Hee-sung burst out laughing before continuing.
-Chef Song, I guarantee it. After our show airs, casting offers will explode. Might wanna get a manager.
"Pardon?"
Such high praise.
Sure, I knew his shows were hits. But my role was just cooking mentor.
'At most, some cooking or mukbang gigs?'
Cooking's niche, after all.
But as if reading my mind, Kim Hee-sung added,
-You're the kind of guest any PD dreams of, Chef.
"Me?"
-You nail the broadcast angles effortlessly~. Feels like I'm just along for the ride?
And the footage turns out perfect. Even I, knowing the content, got sucked into the preview edit last time.
-Oh right, almost forgot the main point.
"Main point? Wasn't the FTC the main thing?"
-That's just the intro~.
No clue what he meant. As I tilted my head, an excited voice rang through the phone.
-[Alley Secrets] got emergency scheduling. Not next spring—looks like this winter.
"Pardon?"
This winter... Less than two days away.