Kim Soo-hyun’s Unedited “Good Day” Appearance Sparks Uproar, Viewers Call for Boycott
On the March 16 broadcast of MBC’s variety show “Good Day,” singers G-Dragon, broadcaster Jung Hyung-don, rapper Defconn, and producer CODE KUNST were featured preparing for the “Good Day General Meeting.” The episode captured their interactions as they planned the gathering, offering glimpses into their camaraderie and behind-the-scenes moments.
During the broadcast, the cast members participated in a charity auction, selling off personal belongings. In a wide shot of the event, Kim Soo-hyun was briefly seen sitting among the other participants. Additionally, the show provided a rare look inside G-Dragon’s music studio.
Netizens are outraged as Kim Soo Hyun still appears in the latest episode of Good Day.
While visiting the studio, comedian Cho Sae-ho casually asked, “Have you gotten closer to Kim Soo-hyun since that day? I heard you hung out until late.” In response, G-Dragon shared, “Strangely, it was like meeting old classmates. After going home and waking up the next morning, I saw messages saying, ‘It was good to see you’ and ‘Let’s meet again.’” Prior to this, G-Dragon and Kim Soo-hyun had developed a friendship through the social circle known as the “88 Line,” a group of celebrities born in 1988.
Although Kim Soo-hyun’s presence in the episode was minimal, appearing only in a few wide shots, viewers reacted strongly to his unedited appearance. After the broadcast aired, MBC’s online message board and various online communities were flooded with negative reactions. Many viewers expressed their discontent, questioning the production team’s decision:
- “Where does this confidence come from?”
- “Do they not care about the audience at all?”
- “I don’t want to see Kim Soo-hyun.”
Some netizens took their outrage a step further, calling for a boycott of all programs produced by TEO, the company founded by Good Day’s director, Kim Tae-ho. Frustrated viewers rallied behind the slogan “Boycott TEO”, demanding accountability from the production team.
The production team issued an apology only after facing criticism.
The production team of MBC’s show “Good Day” issued an apology via the @teo.universe Instagram account, addressing viewer concerns regarding the appearance of actor Kim Soo Hyun in the latest episode. Despite efforts to edit out his scenes due to ongoing controversies, the team explained that complete removal was challenging because the program is pre-produced one to two weeks in advance to accommodate international subtitle translations. They assured viewers that future episodes would minimize his appearances as much as possible.
“Hello, this is the production team of Good Day.
First, we sincerely apologize for causing concern to the viewers.
AdvertisementThe production team recognizes the seriousness of the controversy surrounding a Good Day cast member and is working on the production with the viewers’ reactions as a priority.
Good Day is a program that is pre-produced at least one, or up to two weeks in advance due to the subtitle translation process required for international broadcasting. The episode that aired yesterday (Episode 5) was edited in a rush as soon as we were made aware of the ongoing controversy, and the portion featuring Kim Soo Hyun was urgently edited and re-uploaded. This version was edited in collaboration with MBC and global streaming platforms, who were already in the process of translating the subtitles. As a result, Episode 5 was about 10 minutes shorter than usual, and the details were less thorough than expected.
Regarding the shoot/recording that took place on March 13, please understand that we were already facing delays in the recording of the music for Good Day. The production team waited for Kim Soo Hyun’s agency to make an official statement regarding the controversy. However, since the agency explained that it would provide a statement the following week (as of March 13), and since it would be difficult to know Kim Soo Hyun’s schedule after that, the production team had no choice but to proceed with the recording. After careful discussion, the production team proceeded with recording and shooting the sketch film clip while keeping in mind that some content may be cut. We tried to avoid any overlap with the other cast members’ scenes. We sincerely apologize for any concerns this may have caused to our beloved viewers of Good Day.
Good Day started with good intentions. We believe that, as long as the controversy surrounding the cast member continues, the meaning of the show, its cast, as well as the love and support of our viewers will continue to be tarnished. The content that was aired from the second half of Episode 5, which was filmed on February 18, will continue to unfold in Episodes 6 and 7, and the production team has decided to minimize the parts with Kim Soo Hyun’s appearance as much as possible. The individual recording process for the participant on March 13 will not be aired.
We will continue to strive to bring joy to our viewers in the remaining episodes, paying close attention to the cast members, and ensure that Good Day becomes a program where we can share good days with good people.”
Why should Kim Soo Hyun be cut off from broadcasting?
Kim Soo-hyun has been embroiled in controversy following the passing of actress Kim Sae-ron. On March 14, his agency, Gold Medalist, issued an official statement addressing speculation regarding his past relationship with Kim Sae-ron. The agency clarified, “Kim Sae-ron and Kim Soo-hyun dated from the summer of 2019 to the fall of 2020, after Kim Sae-ron had become an adult. The claim that Kim Soo-hyun dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor is not true.”
The agency also firmly denied allegations from Kim Sae-ron’s bereaved family, who claimed that Kim Soo-hyun had pressured the late actress to repay debts. Gold Medalist refuted the accusation, stating, “That is not true. The debt issue was a matter between the agency and Kim Sae-ron.”
Despite this statement, public criticism of Kim Soo-hyun has not subsided. Many netizens have continued to demand his removal from “Good Day,” with calls for his departure appearing repeatedly on the show’s message board. It was also reported that Kim Soo-hyun had participated in the show’s recording on March 13, just days before the controversy escalated. Initially, he had informed the production team two days prior that he would not be attending due to an out-of-town filming schedule. However, in an unexpected turn of events, he appeared at the recording session without prior notice.
Meanwhile, the bereaved family of Kim Sae-ron has taken legal action against journalist-turned-YouTuber Lee Jin-ho, who they claim has spread baseless accusations about the late actress. At 2 PM (local time) on March 17, the family’s appointed legal representative will hold a press conference at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to formally file a complaint against Lee Jin-ho. Previously, the YouTuber had uploaded multiple videos discussing Kim Sae-ron, but following her passing, he set them all to private. Despite this, he recently released a new video responding to the backlash, stating, “When Kim Sae-ron uploaded a photo of Kim Soo-hyun, I never claimed that it was fake or manipulated.”
The situation continues to draw heated debate, with the entertainment industry and online communities closely following further developments.
