Broadcaster Jun Hyun-moo has once again become the center of attention with an unexpected remark. After publicly apologizing for saying he would 'not act rashly' following a past drinking live broadcast on social media, he stirred up a controversy of sorts by sharing a story about his close senior colleague Shin Dong-yeop during a broadcast.
In the 35th episode of the MBN entertainment program 'Jun Hyun-moo's Plan 2' (co-produced by MBN and Channel S) that aired on the 27th, a food trip was depicted where Jun Hyun-moo and YouTuber Kwak Tube (Kwak Jun-bin) visited a famous restaurant for frozen pork belly in Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province, which has a 47-year tradition, along with actors Kim Roe-ha and Ryu Hyun-kyung.
During the restaurant introduction, Ryu Hyun-kyung asked Jun Hyun-moo, 'You were also the host of the Wednesday Food Meeting, right?' to which Jun Hyun-moo replied, 'I was a mess back then,' throwing in some self-deprecation. To this, Kwak Tube revealed, 'He was heavily criticized back then,' and Jun Hyun-moo added with a laugh, 'I was bullied, felt sad, was ignored, and discriminated against by Dong-yeop hyung for four years. I'm just passing on what I received to Kwak Tube now.'
However, the problem arose when his remarks sparked a heated debate in online communities after the broadcast. Some viewers responded lightly, saying, 'It seems like a joke given the broadcast atmosphere, but it's being interpreted excessively,' while others expressed disappointment, stating, 'It could be embarrassing for Shin Dong-yeop,' and 'Was it necessary to mention a real name when making such remarks?'
Particularly, Jun Hyun-moo had previously stirred controversy by mentioning Park Na-rae during a drunk SNS live broadcast with singer BoA in April. At that time, an inappropriate expression by BoA became problematic and escalated the controversy, leading both Jun Hyun-moo and BoA to issue official apologies to Park Na-rae. Jun Hyun-moo later publicly apologized, saying on KBS 2TV's 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears', 'I will not act rashly going forward and will carefully celebrate the 10th and 20th anniversaries.'
Given this precedent, the viewer reactions to the recent 'Shin Dong-yeop name exposure' were inevitably divided. There were concerns that 'This might lead to further controversy overlapping with his previous image,' while others emphasized, 'It's just humorous exaggeration; we need to be cautious about excessive interpretations.' Internet users have expressed mixed reactions, saying, 'There is a misunderstanding that Shin Dong-yeop treated him that way,' and 'It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned the real name,' along with, 'People are reacting too seriously to a joke.'
Regardless of where Jun Hyun-moo's sincerity lies, it is an era where a casual remark in entertainment can escalate into external debates. There are voices suggesting that even humorous jokes must be cautious of 'context' and 'tone.'
[OSEN]