YouTube channel ‘Jjanhan-hyung’ screenshot
The web variety show ‘Jjanhan-hyung Shin Dong-yup’, hosted by comedian Shin Dong-yup, has been swept up in controversy over sexual harassment directed at a member of the boy group Tomorrow X Together (TXT).
Recently, the production team of ‘Jjanhan-hyung Shin Dong-yup’ released on the official channel a teaser for the next episode featuring Tomorrow X Together’s Soobin and Beomgyu. The video showed the MCs appearing to pressure Soobin to measure his nipple length, and Soobin, the person involved, expressed his feelings by saying, “I’m ashamed.”
After the video was released, fierce criticism from fans at home and abroad poured in, and the production team has now deleted the teaser. However, an official apology from the producers and the MCs has not yet been issued.
Shin Dong-yup’s ‘Jjanhan-hyung’ YouTube channel screenshot
Fans who watched the video strongly criticized the producers’ editing and planning intent. Netizens said, “I’ve often watched ‘Jjanhan-hyung’, but I’ve never seen sexual harassment like that. And to put it in a teaser,” “Did they really think it would be fun to invite idols and do something so crude, and then air it? Did they put out sexually harassing behavior as content?” “He himself says he’s ashamed. Please scrap the next episode,” calling for the broadcast to be canceled.
The controversy appears likely to escalate into protests aimed at the agency. On the 28th of last month, Tomorrow X Together’s fandom pointed out in a statement, “In the teaser for the variety show ‘Jjanhan-hyung’, which they appeared on for album promotion, remarks and actions were found that were so inappropriate it is hard to consider it content featuring idols.”
It continued, “Tomorrow X Together’s fandom, MOA, takes very seriously that the program’s teaser includes scenes close to sexual harassment. Accordingly, to demand respect and protection for the artists, we plan to stage a truck protest targeting BigHit Music.”
From the outset, ‘Jjanhan-hyung’ is a web variety show distributed only on YouTube, and it is a program where rather blunt conversations are exchanged while the participants are drinking. However, the channel is not restricted to 19+ and is a platform accessible to minors. In particular, given that the guest is an idol with a global fandom, it seems difficult to avoid criticism that including unfiltered, excessive behavior in the teaserto the point where the person involved directly expressed shamecrossed the line.
