The article reflects on the problematic nature of disguised advertising in South Korean media, beginning with a notable documentary from 15 years ago. This film revealed how a newly opened restaurant selling inedible strange foods was promoted on major television networks as a culinary gem immediately after paying for advertising fees. The documentary, titled 'True Taste Show,' exposed how franchises use such disguised advertising to attract franchisees, leading to widespread exploitation and victimization due to operational failures. Despite winning an audience award at a film festival, the film's director faced legal repercussions from the broadcasting station, illustrating the potential retaliation against those who challenge commercial practices.

In more recent developments, the director found himself facing another legal battle related to the 'Yeondong Volkats' issue and criticized the problematic brand expansion strategy of a prominent food franchise through media exposure. Several news outlets misrepresented his criticisms as malicious defamation against a popular entrepreneur, escalating the discourse around the vulnerabilities of journalists and the integrity of news reporting. YTN's article that mocked him mentioned a substantial financial claim but failed to provide the names of the journalists or even the email of the reporter behind the piece, showcasing a concerning trend where accountability in reporting is diminished.

Furthermore, the article examines findings from the Media Justice Center's monitoring over a few weeks in 2022, which identified a significant number of advertorials masquerading as news across traditional media. A total of 1,831 such instances were discovered, where articles either lacked identifiable journalists or were simply rewritten from press releases and other non-original sources. Academics also revealed that a large percentage of news content on major platforms did not originate from investigative reporting, emphasizing a shift towards copying existing content rather than producing original journalism. Despite these surveys highlighting significant issues within the media landscape, no substantial measures have been implemented to address disguised advertising concerns, raising questions about the future of journalism in South Korea.