Is this the weight of the national MC? As cast members who worked with Yoo Jae-suk have repeatedly been engulfed in controversies, a strange pattern has recurred where only Yoo Jae-suk, not the persons involved, is summoned.
Recently, comedian Cho Sae-ho was caught up in an unexpected rumor. An SNS account alleged that Cho Sae-ho maintained a friendship with a person linked to organized crime and received expensive gifts. An account that operates under the pretext of reporting celebrities' private crimes claimed that Cho Sae-ho promoted that person's franchise, joined drinking gatherings with them, and even received favors, and it released photos.
In response, agency A2Z Entertainment immediately denied the claims. On the 5th, A2Z said, "That person was merely an acquaintance met at an event, and there was no exchange-based gift or inappropriate relationship whatsoever." It added, "We are reviewing civil and criminal measures against the spread of false claims and rumors and will take a zero-tolerance approach."
The problem is that Yoo Jae-suk was dragged into this as well. Cho Sae-ho works with Yoo Jae-suk on You Quiz on the Block. When Cho Sae-ho was previously embroiled in controversy over attending a breast cancer awareness campaign event, online critics also said, "Isn't Yoo Jae-suk supposed to manage this?" and "Why is the national MC silent?" At that time, criticism grew as people pointed out that a drinking-centered afterparty followed at a time when Park Mi-seon was undergoing treatment, and Cho Sae-ho apologized directly to Park Mi-seon on the show and expressed his remorse.
But the trend did not change after the apology. Even in this organized crime link allegation, some attention has turned to Yoo Jae-suk, with repeated claims of "Shouldn't he properly rein in his colleague?" and "Wasn't he aware and turned a blind eye?"
In fact, this kind of "summoning Yoo Jae-suk" also appeared in the actor Lee Yi-kyung case. Lee Yi-kyung recently announced that search and seizure procedures are under way against the malicious rumor spreaders and declared a tough response.
Then some netizens criticized Yoo Jae-suk, saying he had "defended Lee Yi-kyung," and after Lee Yi-kyung revealed that his departure from MBC's Hangout With Yoo was not a "voluntary withdrawal" but at the producers' suggestion, voices arose saying, "Why didn't Yoo Jae-suk protect his junior when he was forced to leave?"
Neither the origin of the controversy nor the practical authority to resolve it lies with Yoo Jae-suk, yet the name that is still most consumed is "Yoo Jae-suk." Critics say the demand that he shoulder everything from cast members' private life issues to production decisions simply because he is the face of the program is a form of unfair vilification. Many netizens responded with comments such as "legendary unfair vilification," "really pitiful," "Yoo Jae-suk is not a god," and "How are you supposed to control acquaintances' private lives?"
[Photo] OSEN DB
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