Comedian Kim Sook's acceptance speech sparked an unexpected controversy. At the '2025 MBC Entertainment Awards', Kim Sook, who received the grand prize in the female institutional sector, mentioned Park Narae, who is currently on hiatus amid personal life controversies, during her remarks, prompting mixed reactions online. However, voices saying Kim Sook's convictions should also be respected are not insignificant.
At the awards ceremony broadcast on the 29th, after receiving the honor, Kim Sook thanked the production team and cast of the show she appears on, Save Me! Homes. She said, "I came to clap today, but thank you for giving me such a big award," reflected on her 30th anniversary since debut, and called out the names of the production staff and colleagues who created the program together one by one. In this process she also included Park Narae, saying, "even team head Narae."
This is where the problem begins. With Park Narae currently on hiatus amid the so-called "drunk aunt" controversy and various legal disputes with former managers, the debate was triggered when it became known that Kim Sook was the only person who mentioned her name on the official awards stage. Some netizens reacted, "Was it necessary to mention someone who stepped down over controversy?" and "It was uncomfortable."
On the other hand, there are also many opinions defending Kim Sook's choice. Responses included, "If she is a colleague from a program you've worked with for seven years, mentioning her name is natural," "Judging right and wrong is separate from courtesy toward a colleague," and "A conviction befitting Kim Sook." Considering Kim Sook's actions emphasizing the longevity and teamwork of Save Me! Homes, some interpret this mention as respect for the time spent together.
In her remarks Kim Sook thanked Yoo Jae-seok, Song Eun I and Lee Young-ja, saying, "For 30 years I've always said I'd quit, but the people who held on to me until the end." Known for prioritizing "people" and "relationships" beyond individual achievements, that rhetorical style has long been associated with Kim Sook.
The core of the controversy is the appropriateness of the mention, but it also raises the question of how far freedom of expression and personal conviction should be respected. At the same time, opinions inevitably differ on whether the choice to mention the name of a colleague you've worked with in an acceptance speech should be subject to criticism. While criticism is possible, the view that Kim Sook's conviction, which displayed camaraderie, should also be respected is gaining credibility.
[Photo] OSEN DB, broadcast capture
[OSEN]