A petition for the removal of KBS announcer Kim Jin-woong, who referred to former KBS announcer Do Kyung-wan, married to singer Jang Yoon-jung, as 'sub,' is ongoing. The disrespect towards a senior announcer and comments that seem to belittle the couple have sparked viewer outrage, which has extended beyond Kim Jin-woong to announcer Um Ji-in and the program itself.
In the episode of KBS2's 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears' aired on the 24th, announcer Um Ji-in was shown receiving marriage counseling with announcers Nam Hyun-jong and Kim Jin-woong. During this process, Kim Jin-woong said, 'I cannot live like senior Do Kyung-wan. It may be a disrespectful thing to say to a senior, but I cannot live as someone's sub.'
Upon hearing the broadcast, Do Kyung-wan's wife, Jang Yoon-jung, expressed her displeasure on her social media account, saying, 'It's absurd that there was no prior relationship. Words or actions that cannot make the other person laugh cannot be disguised as jokes or pranks. There is no sub among family.'
As the controversy spread, Kim Jin-woong remarked, 'I still lack experience, and it seems this opportunity came to me as a valuable chance, so in my eagerness, I was not careful. As a result, I ended up saying something that should not have been said,' and he conveyed his apologies to Jang Yoon-jung and Do Kyung-wan.
In response, Jang Yoon-jung said, 'I received a text from an unknown number conveying an apology. It must have taken courage to apologize, so I think I should accept it for that reason,' and she accepted the apology. Do Kyung-wan also stated, 'Our couple may seem lopsided to someone. However, we respect and consider each other and live relying on each other.'
However, while claiming 'disrespect,' Kim Jin-woong has crossed the line of rudeness and is facing backlash. In the past, Kim Jin-woong has mentioned that he looks up to Jun Hyun-moo as a role model on 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears' while ultimately dreaming of becoming a freelancer, which, along with broadcasting mishaps and an inability to gauge the atmosphere due to excessive eagerness, is being scrutinized.
Viewer outrage has also been directed towards announcer Um Ji-in. Since joining 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears' last year, Um Ji-in has been noted as a potential successor to the discontinued KBS star announcers, but her behavior, such as scolding junior colleagues, has been frowned upon. Some viewers, considering this incident to be an extension of that behavior, have petitioned for Um Ji-in's removal from the program, stating on the KBS viewer petition board, 'Um Ji-in's actions can be described as almost at a freelancer level. Recently, videos showing her reprimanding junior announcers have made viewers uncomfortable,' and 'As an announcer, one should act like an announcer, but she has not been able to do that.'
Some viewers have called for the cancellation of 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears.' When the program was aired, 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears' inserted a subtitle saying, 'What's the big deal?,' implying they were aware of the potential impact of airing that scene. To protect participants and prevent controversy, they should have consulted those involved or considered editing, but instead, they aired it as is, causing controversy. Netizens commented, 'It's a very rude program,' 'I don't know if there is a script, but whether it's an entertainment program or not, the fixed panelists are so rude, and their rudeness is increasing,' and 'Can't the situation regarding Kim Jin-woong's incident be edited with caution even if it's entertainment?'
The problematic broadcast from the 24th is currently unavailable for replay and VOD service. Due to the Kim Jin-woong incident, the program's very existence is in jeopardy. It remains to be seen how 'The Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears' will navigate this crisis.
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