Singer Jo Gap-kyung went ahead with a Radio Star appearance despite her son's affair controversy. Despite continued protests and attacks from her ex-daughter-in-law, she appeared on the broadcast without editing, while Radio Star's ratings plummeted.
The MBC program Radio Star aired on the 1st with a "loyalty inducer" special featuring guests Jo Gap-kyung, Chae-yeon, former Rainbow member Go Woo-ri, and fromis_9's Lee Chae-young.
That day Jo Gap-kyung was introduced as the "original military goddess" and appeared without editing despite her son's affair controversy. Because it was a special gathering of past military goddesses, family matters were not discussed on the broadcast, but Jo Gap-kyung reminisced about her heyday and appeared nostalgic about those times.
Ahead of Jo Gap-kyung's Radio Star appearance, his ex-daughter-in-law A repeatedly posted accusatory remarks on her personal social media. A alleged the affair of B, the son of Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-kyung and her former husband. A revealed that B had an affair while she was pregnant, which led to their divorce, and that he has not properly paid alimony and child support. She also said she appealed to her parents-in-law Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-kyung for help but was ignored.
Meanwhile, Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-kyung disputed A's claims, saying, "We are still awaiting a ruling." After the first-instance judgment, they said they initially paid 20 million won of the 30 million won in alimony and were about to pay child support when A's side filed an appeal. In the first-instance ruling B was found responsible for the divorce and was ordered to pay 30 million won in alimony and 800,000 won per month in child support, but A filed an appeal claiming the child support was insufficient, and the case is under appeal. Hong Seo-beom explained, "My son's lawyer told us to withhold child support until the trial is over, so we are waiting until the ruling comes out."
Nevertheless, public outrage continued over Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-kyung's indifferent attitude toward their son's affair. Eventually Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-kyung issued an official statement through some media outlets and apologized. They said, "Regardless of the facts, we did not intervene in the divorce process out of respect for our adult son's privacy and autonomy, but as parents we sorely lacked in closely scrutinizing our child's faults. We sincerely reflect on our failure to set an example as public figures," and "Although there are many parts that differ from the other party's claims and the appeal is under way because of the other party's appeal, we, as a couple, will sternly guide and ensure through our son's legal representative that our son's obligations under the first-instance ruling, such as child support and alimony, are promptly fulfilled."
In response, A posted on social media in anger, "Apologize to me and my family, not the public. You pretend to apologize to the public because it's a big deal. From your statement it looks very different from the claims? No, everything is true, so you'll speak ambiguously. You don't want to admit it, it's embarrassing, but it's your son's wrongdoing. Apologize properly to me and my family for what you did. Fake apology. Forced apology. Same shameless attitude."
She continued, "When B ran away he said his parents should meet. They insisted it had to be then, so my parents came to Daejeon late at night, but when it was time for the appointment he said, 'No, my parents aren't coming. I'm not going either, why should I go?' After that the parents wouldn't answer any messages. If it was something they shouldn't have interfered in, why did those parents insist we match their schedule, why did they arrange the marriage and why did they expose my face in the article? When things were good they acted like 'oh my' but when it's disadvantageous it's a public apology? Didn't you know? Please stop making me laugh," she vented.
A continued, "They ruined one person's life, broke a family, ignored and neglected pleas for help, and once it became public and they were criticized they ignored the dying person and acted like they knew nothing on TV — that's the price they pay. Apologizing to the public in front but having that son respond legally behind the scenes is very fitting. Keep going just like that," and criticized, "Because the public made a fuss they said they'd pay the overdue child support and prepared paperwork. It's unfair. Parents at fault? They stood by. Even when I begged for help and shouted until my throat gave out, they condoned it."
She added in reply to a comment that read, "An affair is a big wound, but the in-laws wouldn't have forced it and isn't it a matter for the adult couple to handle?", "During pregnancy, childbirth and raising the child, not once did anyone contact me, they read and ignored my messages, and no one asked to see the child, said they wanted to see the child, or paid child support even once. If I hadn't told anyone, they would have stayed submerged. Neglect is also a sin," and countered, "An apology and proper reflection. For those three years they ignored it and appeared on broadcasts pretending not to know, and they too have daughters yet condoned it and ruined one person and one family — they must be held accountable for that sin."
When news spread that Jo Gap-kyung was determined to appear on Radio Star, A posted a new message on the day of the broadcast, the 1st, saying, "You did wrong. You ignored me. Now you think giving child support is enough? My wounds. My child's family. Reflect properly and apologize. You could have said at least one word earlier. If you had, my anger might have eased a bit. You made it bigger. Now I have to watch you appear on TV again. The victim continues to live in pain like this," and, "You knew about the affair partner and condoned and ignored it and then appeared on TV — that's wrong. If you'd contacted me even once this wouldn't have happened. If you'd scolded him when I told you, nothing would have happened," she said, expressing her grievance.
Despite A's successive attacks, Radio Star aired Jo Gap-kyung's segments without editing. As a result, the 959th episode of Radio Star, broadcast on the 1st, suffered the humiliation of falling to a nationwide rating of 2%. This is the lowest figure when looking at nearly a year of statistics. While earlier this year it had recorded an average rating of 3.1%, ranging from 2.7% to 3.7%, it fell 1.1 percentage points below the average to a dismal figure, appearing to have suffered a backlash from the controversy.
[Photo] MBC, tvN, OSEN DB
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