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Heo Kyung-hwan Steps Away From Chicken Breast Business After 15 Years — "I'm Only a Model Now"

Brand founder Heo Kyung-hwan pivots from entrepreneur to model

Heo Kyung-hwan, chicken breast brand, business, exit
Heo Kyung-hwan and Jung Il-young [Photo: YouTube 'The Severely Introverted Jung Il-young']

Comedian Heo Kyung-hwan revealed he has exited the chicken breast brand he ran for 15 years—now staying on only as a model.

On July 1, French instructor Jung Il-young uploaded a video featuring Heo on his YouTube channel, where the comedian candidly shared an update and real-life lessons from running a business.

When Jung asked, "Aren't you also running a company while juggling four to five regular shows?", Heo replied, "That's right. I have about that many fixed gigs." Addressing the chicken breast venture, he added, "I ran the brand for about 15 years, but I wrapped it up last year when we merged. Now I'm only a model for it."

Explaining why he stepped back, Heo said, "There really wasn't much I could do." He continued, "A lot of celebrities slap their names on something when they don't actually have the bandwidth, and they end up taking the fall," offering hard-won, realistic advice from experience.

He then joked to Jung, "If people around you tell you to start something, don't. And if you really must, take a backseat role."

Heo launched a convenient fitness-meal brand in 2010, pivoting into entrepreneurship. However, it later emerged that a former business partner had allegedly embezzled billions of won, drawing sympathy from the public.

Heo debuted in 2007 as part of KBS's 22nd class of open-audition comedians and remains active across various programs today.