English teacher Jo Jung-sik, who is appearing in "Please Take Care of My Grades Teachers2," has been swept up in allegations of illegal question transactions, and the production team has spoken out about it.
On the 13th, an interview for Channel A's variety show "Please Take Care of My Grades Teachers Season 2" (hereinafter referred to as Teachers2) was held at DDMC in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Kim Seung-hoon, CP, and Yoon Hye-ji, PD, were present at the event.
"Teachers2" is a program that provides customized solutions from Korea's top instructors to students and families struggling with grades. The first season aired from November 2023 to October 2024 and recorded the highest viewership rating of 1.7% (based on nationwide Nielsen Korea), receiving much love, while the second season, featuring Yoon Hye-jung, has been meeting viewers since May.
The smooth sailing of "Teachers2" abruptly hit a snag due to the allegations of illegal question transactions involving participant and English teacher Jo Jung-sik. On the 10th, the Truth Investigation Group "Sherlock" reported that Jo bought mock exam questions from a high school teacher surnamed A for 58 million won. According to the report, A sold questions to 11 academies, including Jo, over approximately five years from 2018 to 2023, earning around 238 million won through these transactions. The transaction of exam questions by current teachers for academy materials has been strictly prohibited since 2016. If discovered, they could face dismissal or termination, and for teachers, it is illegal to hold multiple positions without permission.
Jo's side stated through their legal representative, "Recent reports from a certain media outlet regarding Jo Jung-sik contain inaccuracies that seriously damage the instructor's honor and social trust. Jo Jung-sik and our legal team are confident that all allegations sent to the prosecution are clearly 'not guilty,' and Jo Jung-sik has never directly paid 58 million won to the teacher involved in the case."
Jo Jung-sik was originally scheduled to attend the "Teachers2" interview, but the production team unexpectedly announced the absence of Jo Jung-sik, Jeong Seung-jae, Yoon Hye-jeong, and others on the 12th, a day prior. The production team explained, "We made this decision because we believed there was a high risk that this round of interviews could deviate from the original purpose."
Accordingly, the interview for "Teachers2" on the 13th was conducted with only Kim Seung-hoon, CP, and Yoon Hye-ji, PD, present. However, questions regarding Jo Jung-sik's allegations of illegal question transactions could not be avoided. Kim Seung-hoon, CP, first stated regarding the controversy related to Jo Jung-sik, "We were also unaware of the controversy. What Jo said occurred earlier this year, and he mentioned that he was included as a reference in an investigation involving over 100 individuals. I only knew that he was under investigation and heard recently that it had gone to the prosecution. Since it is not an individual's investigation but a large-scale one, I only knew that the investigation was taking a long time. We are closely monitoring the situation as there is a risk of taking premature action."
He continued, "It's a pre-produced program. The interactions between teachers and students to improve grades have been ongoing since the beginning of this year and are nearly complete. A significant portion has been progressed, and since the allegations regarding Jo Jung-sik are under investigation, we want to see the results. We haven't received the results yet, so it's cautious to say we want to take action. The specific contents of the report are based on the investigation process, and we can only discuss the participants, not the incident itself."
There are concerns that the program's integrity may be compromised due to the issues with the participants. Kim, CP, noted, "You may be concerned that the program's integrity is shaken. Regardless of the outcome, merely having these allegations arise impacts the program. However, as the investigation is still ongoing, Jo Jung-sik has not provided any opinions. The production team takes this seriously, but as no facts have been established yet, I must cautiously state that we wish to take action. The specific contents of the report are based on the investigation process, and we can only discuss the participants, not the incident itself."
Although Jo Jung-sik is currently embroiled in allegations, there are no plans to edit his segments from "Teachers2." Kim Seung-hoon, CP, stated, "This week's episode is set to air as planned. Each teacher has their own subjects, and since the exams and results are following a sequence, we cannot arbitrarily adjust the episodes. We are preparing to air as planned," adding, "However, that does not mean the production team is ignoring public sentiment. Being an educational program, we pay even more attention to public opinion. While we are considering this, no results have come out yet, and since this program involves students, it has many specifics, so we cannot unilaterally take any actions. Nonetheless, we will not try to ignore the relevant issues and public sentiment while airing the show."
"Teachers2" still has a long way to go. It is uncertain when the allegations against Jo Jung-sik will be resolved, and if they are proven true, greater damage will inevitably occur. Kim Seung-hoon, CP, explained, "Since the results have not come out yet, it doesn't mean we will continue to show his segments as they are. We are monitoring and observing the situation from various angles. However, as this matter is still under investigation, there are no plans to reduce his appearances."
Currently, "Teachers2" is not performing as well in ratings compared to season one. Given the allegations against Jo Jung-sik, damage to the program is expected. In response, Kim Seung-hoon, CP, stated, "The first broadcast was better than season one, which was good. (We are currently in a somewhat lower range) but I believe it will rise from this week. We will work hard to ensure it performs well."
Continued in Interview②.
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