Kkanbu Chicken announced on September 20 that it is temporarily suspending promotions and events related to 'PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS'. The decision follows a fairness controversy that arose during a PUBG event match.
Kkanbu Chicken stated via social media, "We are closely examining the concerns and feedback sent by customers regarding the recent fairness controversy that occurred during a PUBG event match." The company added, "We are temporarily suspending related promotions and events as we wait to review the event match organizer's final investigation results and measures to prevent recurrence."
It added, "We will listen carefully to our customers' valuable input and make cautious decisions regarding our future direction."
Kkanbu Chicken had been running promotions tied directly to PUBG esports broadcasts. The company held events where viewers could scan a QR code shown during matches and complete phone verification to receive a 5,000 won discount coupon via text message. Coupons were distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, limited to 1,000 per day. Because watching the matches directly translated into store discounts, the tournament broadcast was closely intertwined with product promotion.
The event match referenced by Kkanbu Chicken is 'PUBG Asia Stars 2026', hosted by KRAFTON. The fairness controversy erupted on the first day of competition on September 17, when it was revealed that two participants from the Vietnam region accessed external game information through their personal stream chats.
KRAFTON excluded the two participants from the remainder of the schedule and revoked their PUBG Vietnam Partner status, while acknowledging that during its initial response it had "hastily communicated unverified information." The South Korean team abstained from participating in the Day 2 matches on September 19, and the tournament was halted without holding Day 3. KRAFTON is continuing its investigation into whether external information was actually utilized in gameplay.
