Actor Jung Jun-won's controversy over his attitude on broadcast continued into its second day. Even past footage that contrasts with his appearance on Hangout With Yoo has been exhumed, suggesting the controversy may be prolonged.
On the Jan. 1 broadcast, MBC's Hangout With Yoo was presented as the short-form drama - Shoot it, featuring A Bona fide Killer lead Kong Hyojin and Jung Jun-won auditioning for the lead actor role.
Jung Jun-won, appearing on a variety show for the first time, appeared visibly nervous throughout as if unfamiliar. Yu Jae-seok and other Hangout With Yoo members, including Kong Hyojin, tried to ease his tension, but Jung Jun-won froze, and during the corner showcasing his main profession of acting he could not utter even a single line. Even though Yu Jae-seok managed the situation and gave him a second chance, Jung Jun-won ultimately could not deliver the line, drawing sighs.
Criticism arose that although it was his first variety appearance and could be unfamiliar, he should have shown at least minimal preparation and proactivity; others noted that people around him actively tried to ease the atmosphere to help him adapt, yet he failed to properly show even his main work. While Jung Jun-won is said to have an introverted personality, critics heightened the attitude controversy by pointing out that those who do many variety shows such as Yu Jae-seok and Joo Woo-jae, as well as the famously "introverted" Um Tae-goo, do not behave like this when appearing on variety shows.
Although many know Jung Jun-won's first variety appearance as Hangout With Yoo, he actually appeared last year on MBC's Part-time job vacation alongside Lee Suji, Jang Yoo-seok and Kim Ah-young. Though it was a short four-episode variety, strictly speaking his first variety appearance was not Hangout With Yoo but Part-time job vacation.
As the attitude controversy continues into its second day, footage of Jung Jun-won's past variety appearances is being exhumed. Jung Jun-won has appeared on last year's tvN Resident Playbook special - I'll try leaving work, MBC's Part-time job vacation, and web variety shows Channel Fullmoon, Sung Si Kyung's I'll meet you, and Uhm Jung-hwa's And-ing, among others.
When meeting Uhm Jung-hwa he confessed his fandom and shared his feelings ahead of a fan meeting, and he actively participated, even performing a skit that blended Doctor Cha and Resident Playbook. On Sung Si Kyung's channel he was shy at first but, after opening up, took the lead and even proactively asked Sung Si Kyung, "May I call you hyung?"
These appearances are the exact opposite of his Hangout With Yoo behavior, and as these past appearance videos are exhumed, Jung Jun-won's attitude controversy has flared up even hotter.
Amid this, Haha said, "I was there on set. He was so lovable, cute and funny. Those were reactions meant to make it entertaining. For a first variety appearance, Hangout With Yoo is really tough! He's not a professional entertainer, so please view him with affection and just enjoy the variety. Have a happy day today! I applaud the actor. Please support him! I support him all the way," defending Jung Jun-won. But Haha's shield that he was nervous because it was his first variety appearance lost force given that Jung Jun-won's first variety was not Hangout With Yoo but Part-time job vacation.
The longer Jung Jun-won's attitude controversy continues, the more inevitable the damage to the MBC Fri.-Sat. drama A Bona fide Killer in which he appears. A Bona fide Killer premiered with a 7.4% rating on its first broadcast (Nielsen Korea nationwide) and rose to 8.0% in episode 2. But the lead actor risk put the show in crisis in its second week. Jung Jun-won has yet to offer any particular position or statement of feeling.
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