'From the misunderstanding of 'dine-and-dash' to editing controversy on 'My Little Old Boy'… Kim Min-jong: "I am sorry unintentionally"
Actor Kim Min-jong directly spoke about the so-called recent misunderstanding of 'dine-and-dash' and the controversy surrounding past variety show appearances. He explained that a scene from the SBS variety show 'My Little Old Boy' broadcast five years ago has led to misunderstandings about his current life and turned into an awkward situation.
Kim Min-jong appeared on KBS1's Morning Yard Tuesday invitation segment, recently broadcast, together with Ye Ji-won, who won three awards for the film 'Firenze', and updated viewers on his recent activities. There he clarified rumors circulating online that he 'left a restaurant without paying.'
Kim Min-jong said, "Because I grew my hair and beard for a role, people around me said I looked like I was having a hard time," and added, "I went to a restaurant and the mother there didn't take payment. It wasn't that I didn't want to pay; I was going to pay but she didn't accept it," which drew laughter.
He then pointed to his appearance on 'My Little Old Boy' in 2020 as the background of the misunderstanding. Kim Min-jong said, "On that program I was shown as if I were living in a container in Yangpyeong. The power of broadcast is scary," and explained, "That container seems to have become fixed as an actual residence."
At the time on 'My Little Old Boy', footage was shown of Kim Min-jong staying in a container house in the mountains of Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Scenes of cooking over a wood fire, living modestly, and a narrative emphasizing living alone after his mother passed away created an image of a 'celebrity turned natural man.' The scene caused a big stir, but resulted in misunderstandings that persisted five years later. Kim Min-jong joked, "I think the mother at that restaurant remembered that broadcast well. She asked, 'Why do you live like that?'" and added, "I'm healthy and doing well, and I live well in Gangnam."
However, this remark sparked accusations that 'My Little Old Boy' had become a demon edit. Afterwards, Kim Min-jong appeared as a special MC on SBS's 'My Little Old Boy' broadcast on the 7th and once again directly explained and expressed his apology. He said, "I have a deep connection with 'My Little Old Boy' personally, so I am sorry unintentionally," and added, "My relationship goes back to appearing on the early days as 'My Little Unknown Son.'"
Regarding living in the container, he said, "I actually lived there as if I were living there, and I still go back and forth," but noted the cause of the misunderstanding: "Older people see the broadcast presented impactfully and think I continue to live there." When Shin Dong-yup asked, "Then is that your actual home?" Kim Min-jong explained, "It's a second house. It is my container."
In a situation where misunderstanding bred more misunderstanding, Kim Min-jong bowed his head again, saying, "I feel sorry to those who don't know well." About his late mother, he also revealed, "Although I said I had moved out, in fact I lived right in front of her," and added, "I feel that if we had lived together, she might have lived longer."
In the end, Kim Min-jong's explanation was closer to an episode in which an image created by a broadcast was confused with reality, rather than a 'demon edit' controversy. Nevertheless, Kim Min-jong chose to address the controversy directly, apologize and resolve the misunderstanding instead of ignoring it.<
[Photo] OSEN DB, broadcast screen
[OSEN]