"The Genius Paik 3" returns as "The global rice business challenge Paik 3".
On the 14th, a tvN official told OSEN the title change of "The Genius Paik 3" to "The global rice business challenge Paik 3" (abbreviated Paik 3), adding, 'Paik 3 finished filming in April last year. It was scheduled as part of the process of finalizing tvN's variety lineup for the first quarter of 2026,' the official said. The official added, 'Paik 3 is scheduled to premiere in February, and actor Yoon Si-yoon will appear as a new member.'
Paik 3 is season 3 of "The Genius Paik," in which restaurant tycoon Paik Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea Inc., challenges the rice business in a region barren of Korean food. It returns as a new season three years after season 2 in 2023.
In particular, Paik 3 will feature existing members actor Lee Jang-woo, singer John Park, Girls' Generation member Yuri, and Yoon Si-yoon as a new member. They already finished filming at a location in France in April last year.
During the process of unveiling the program a year after filming, controversy arose over internal operational issues surrounding The Born Korea, such as country-of-origin labeling. In response, CEO Paik Jong-won emphasized responsible management and suspended broadcasting activities entirely. However, he was recently cleared of charges related to the earlier controversies.
Regarding the scheduling after the title change of Paik 3, tvN explained, 'As a program that aims to spread "K-food culture" focused on the global popularization of Korean cuisine, we carefully considered the current situation and modified the title to focus on the program's original intent.'
[Photo] Provided by tvN.
[OSEN]