MBC 'Today N' has officially apologized for the rude behavior of its production team.
A notice was posted on the viewer feedback board of the 'Today N' website on the 2nd, starting with, "We apologize for causing concern to our viewers."
The production team acknowledged that "there were many viewer opinions that some of the behavior of the PD in charge of the segment on the broadcast on the 1st was inappropriate."
They took action, stating, "We take this situation seriously and immediately contacted the cast member to apologize. The video in question has been promptly edited."
They also apologized to the viewers, saying, "We sincerely apologize to the viewers who felt uncomfortable watching the broadcast."
Finally, they stated, "We will be particularly careful during filming and the post-production process to ensure that such incidents do not recur."
The problematic broadcast aired on the 1st in the segment 'Isn't It Nice?,' showcasing the daily life of a grandfather who moved to a rural area. It was a one-on-one interview between the PD and the grandfather.
The issue was the PD's rude behavior. When the grandfather mentioned he had three homes in the countryside, the PD bluntly asked, "You seem to be pretty wealthy. Do you have a lot of money?"
When the grandfather said he slept in an 'Ondolbang' (a room with a traditional Korean floor heating system), the PD replied curtly, "I usually don't go there; I'm not at the age where I would like an Ondolbang yet."
When the grandfather offered him homegrown oyster mushrooms, the PD sarcastically commented, "They have all of this at supermarkets in Seoul." When offered grilled chicken over charcoal, the PD quipped, "I only like fried things."
After the broadcast, online reactions poured in calling it "rude" and "unpleasant," with viewers posting demands for the PD to apologize or be replaced on the feedback board.
<Photo Source = MBC 'Today N' website>