The production team of 'Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller' faces controversy for attempting to recruit bereaved families of the sinkhole victims, leading to public anger and an apology
The production team of KBS Joy's 'Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller' is facing controversy after it was revealed they attempted to recruit the bereaved families of the sinkhole victims in Gangdong District, Seoul. While the production team has expressed a belated apology, responses from netizens are divided.
On the 30th, the brother of sinkhole victim Park expressed his discomfort by revealing the recruitment direct message he received from the program's team on his social media. The production team cautiously inquired through the message whether he would be willing to receive counseling as a story contributor; however, the bereaved expressed strong dissatisfaction with this approach, believing it sought to consume their tragedy for entertainment.
He showed an agitated response, stating, "Is this the right approach? Is this what entertainment is?" He further expressed strong regret regarding the recruitment itself, saying, "Is this mockery? I have endured so much but this is too much."
Many netizens also expressed outrage at the stance of the bereaved families, questioning, "Is it common sense to recruit for this?" and "Even if they are serious, this is not an issue to be covered in a broadcast," adding, "Especially since they are not even real counselors? Is it appropriate for celebrities to offer comfort in this situation?".
As the controversy escalated, the 'Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller' team stated, "It is true that we contacted the bereaved families for recruitment, and we recognize that it was a thoughtless decision, for which we apologize." They also added, "We will bolster the recruitment process in the future to ensure more caution in production."
Given that this was an excessively sensitive and tragic incident for a variety show to address, many believe that the controversy cannot simply be dismissed as a trivial incident. Attention is focused on what actual changes will follow the production team's apology.
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