The conflict between One Hundred, led by MC Mong, and KBS is deepening.
On the 4th, One Hundred stated that as Xiumin prepares to release a solo album after 2 years and 6 months, KBS unofficially communicated that it is impossible for Xiumin to make simultaneous grants to programs like 'Music Bank' featuring SM Entertainment artists. One Hundred explained, "It was a difficult position to understand, but we have been in continuous contact until today to convey the message to 'consider the artists and fans first,' but even this was being ignored.
One Hundred stated, "We believe that this is blocking meetings between the artist and fans through broadcasting due to interests with a specific agency rather than music or any other reasons. Regarding KBS, which has made it difficult for artists, including Xiumin, to perform on 'Music Bank,' we will constantly work to ensure fairness and do our best to prevent numerous artists from being harmed by such unfair practices in the future."
In response, KBS stated, "It is not true," refuting One Hundred's claims, and it was later inferred that the conflict escalated after One Hundred's artist Lee Mujin did not participate in the KBS YouTube content 'Limousine Service' recording on the 6th.
In particular, One Hundred's entertainer Lee Soo Geun also did not participate in KBS Joy's 'Ask Anything' scheduled for the 7th, and the cancellation of the recording has raised voices questioning whether One Hundred is boycotting KBS content as part of protests against Xiumin's inability to appear on 'Music Bank.'
In the meantime, it's reported that One Hundred has decided they can no longer proceed with negotiations as they lost contact with the KBS entertainment center head.
In response, Han Kyung Cheon, KBS entertainment center head, spoke out three days after the incident emerged. At an entertainment program briefing held at KBS in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, on the 7th, Han stated, "I have also worked on 'Music Bank' for a long time, and casting and the lineup are 99% the responsibility of the production team. Ultimately, it is a communication issue between the production team and the planning agency," adding that he conveyed this stance in a meeting with senior officials last week. Regarding claims that there has been no contact for two weeks, he noted, "That is not true."
Regarding Lee Mujin's absence from the 'Limousine Service' recording, he said, "We are not considering other MCs until Lee Mujin comes. If we wait, I hope they will understand our sincerity," and about Lee Soo Geun's absence from 'Ask Anything,' he commented, "I have affection for the program because I launched it while I was at KBS N, but KBS N is a different company, so I think we need to inquire with their executives."
One Hundred claims 'external pressure' and argues that KBS is being unfair, while KBS is refuting that One Hundred's claims are not true. In this situation, Lee Mujin and Lee Soo Geun, who were supposed to appear on the program, have unexpectedly become unable to participate in the recording, making them victims. Not only the two of them but also viewers who love the program are expressing deep disappointment.
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