Jung Jun-won. Jung Jun-won Instagram.

The ‘attitude controversy’ surrounding actor Jung Jun-won is not dying down. Although broadcaster Haha, actor Kim Hyun-sook, and even Gong Hyo-jin have stepped up one after another to defend him, public opinion remains split, and coincidentally, the recently revealed ‘professionalism’ remarks by actor Kim Hye-soo and singer Lee Seung-chul are being mentioned together and compared.

A scene from the MBC variety show ‘Hangout With Yoo?’.

The controversy began with the August 1 broadcast of MBC variety show ‘Hangout With Yoo?’. Jung Jun-won appeared with Gong Hyo-jin to promote the drama ‘Married Woman Killer’, but throughout the show he gave short answers and showed a passive reaction, leaving viewers disappointed. Footage of him hesitating to respond to requests to act led to reactions such as “Did he really come on to promote?”, “Even on a variety show, should he not at least show a minimum of sincerity?”, and online it spread into an ‘attitude controversy’.

Screenshot from YouTube channel ‘Bibo TV’.

As the controversy continued, past videos were also brought back into the spotlight. On the YouTube channel ‘Bibo TV’ last year, director Jang Hang-jun mentioned Jung Jun-won and said, “He was a bit lacking in greetings. He was rude. His acting is 100 points, but his manners are 40.” At the time, Song Eun-i laughed it off as a “joke,” and director Jang Hang-jun also ended the moment with a smile, but amid the recent controversy that clip is being talked about again.

Screenshot from YouTube channel ‘Channel Fifteen Nights’.

By contrast, he looked different on producer Na Young-seok’s YouTube live broadcast. At the time, Jung Jun-won appeared with Go Yoon-jung, shared his own experiences, and actively joined the conversation, even recounting an anecdote about having mistaken jepi powder for drugs and reporting it to the police. Viewers who saw this questioned the contrast, saying, “‘Hangout With Yoo?’ Why was he so tense there?”, “Here he spoke well and the mood was good.”

Screenshot from YouTube channel ‘PDC by PDC’.

Amid the ongoing controversy, it was a coincidence that remarks by other stars recently made public also became a topic. Actor Kim Hye-soo said in a recent YouTube segment, “Actors are freelancers who work for pay,” and added, “They must deliver results that match that.” These comments, reflecting the perspective of a 41-year veteran actor, were mentioned online together with the Jung Jun-won controversy as “showing professionalism.”

A scene from the tvN variety show ‘You Quiz on the Block’.

Then on the August 5 broadcast of tvN’s ‘You Quiz on the Block,’ remarks by Lee Seung-chul, marking the 40th anniversary of his debut, also drew attention. He said, “Wherever I go on a show, people want to hear a lot of my songs. But they always ask with difficulty,” and added, “For singers, singing is the easiest thing. A singer should come out and sing.” After the broadcast, some online communities and social media saw posts mentioning Jung Jun-won alongside reactions such as “It is natural for singers to sing and actors to act” and “If you are a professional, you should show what is requested.”

However, many also say, “Since there was an explanation that his physical condition was poor at the time, excessive comparisons should be avoided,” and “It is excessive to evaluate an actor based on a single broadcast.” On the other hand, reactions such as “Condition and attitude are separate issues” and “Since he appeared on a variety show, a minimum level of sincerity was needed” continue, and the controversy shows no sign of easing.

Meanwhile, born in 1988, Jung Jun-won debuted with the 2015 film ‘Avian Human’. Last year he became known to the public through tvN’s ‘Someday Wise Resident Life’, and he is currently working with Gong Hyo-jin in the MBC drama ‘Married Woman Killer’ that is on the air.