The producers of "Flaming Baseball" made a final decision not to air the already filmed Paejae High School episode.
After a controversy over disparaging a region arose when they chanted the slogan "We gotta go to Starbucks" during a game against Gwangju Jeil High School (Gwangjuil High School), they decided not to broadcast it.
It is a web variety program in which retired star baseball players play games against school baseball teams or second-tier players in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) league.
On the morning of the 1st, Studio C1, the production company of Flaming Baseball, said in a statement, "We decided not to air the Paejae High School episode, which was scheduled to air on the 6th."
They said, "We looked seriously at the recent issue related to Paejae High School," and stated accordingly. They added, "We will be back with the Seongnam High School episode at 8 p.m. on the 13th."
On the 7th of last month at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, Paejae High School appeared on the "SBS Plus Flaming Baseball live special" and faced the Flaming Baseball team "Flame Fighters."
The game was already aired live. The producers had planned to edit the game footage and release it on the 6th.
However, on the 29th of last month, the Paejae High School baseball team sparked controversy during the Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship and Weekend League Champions Tournament against Gwangju Jeil High School.
Late in the game, with Paejae High School leading 6-2, some players in the Paejae dugout repeatedly chanted, "Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go to Starbucks."
One student also shouted "Tank Day," and Gwangjuil High School protested, saying, "Why are you going to Starbucks? We have been holding back for a while."
The umpires also issued a warning to Paejae High School at the time, but as the game broadcast spread online through communities, criticism poured in that it was "regional disparagement."
Paejae High School, in an official apology, said it would discipline the student athlete who caused the controversy according to school rules and conduct special education for all members.
Paejae High School teachers, students and parents also said they would visit Gwangjuil High School in person to convey their apologies. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education also plans to conduct an investigation.
As a result, concerns were raised that if the broadcast went out as scheduled, indiscriminate criticism would pour onto Paejae High School players whose real names and faces would be exposed, and the producers accepted this and decided not to air the episode.