KBS variety show 'Mueos-Ideun Mul-Eobosal' faces backlash after contacting sinkhole victim’s family, issues apology

The KBS variety show' Mueos-Ideun Mul-Eobosal' is facing public criticism after its production team attempted to contact the family of a sinkhole accident victim for a potential appearance on the show.

On May 1, the show’s producers acknowledged in a statement to Sports Kyunghyang that they had reached out to a member of the victim’s family through a direct message. They admitted the attempt was inappropriate and explained that they had since apologized to the family via the same method.

"Hello, this is the production team of the program 'Mueos-Ideun Mul-Eobosal.'

First of all, we would like to sincerely apologize for reaching out again, acknowledging that our casting request may have felt inappropriate or upsetting. We apologize for any discomfort caused by our lack of discretion.

While our program is indeed a variety show that aims to bring laughter to our viewers, it also serves as a 'concern counseling' platform that discusses a wide range of personal and social issues raised by various individuals.

For this reason, we have previously reached out to individuals affected by social issues, hoping to support and amplify their voices. We intended to offer the same opportunity in this case. We would like to clearly state that our proposal was not made simply with entertainment in mind, as you may have perceived.

Once again, we sincerely apologize and express our condolences to you, who must be enduring great sorrow."

The production team explained that 'Mueos-Ideun Mul-Eobosal' is not just a light-hearted variety program but also aims to highlight societal and disaster-related issues in an effort to create public awareness and empathy. Still, they admitted that the approach in this case was not suitable.

Public attention intensified after a family member of the deceased, Mr. Park, who died in a sinkhole accident in Myeongil-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, posted a screenshot of the message on social media. The message came from the show’s team and was shared on April 30, sparking widespread backlash online.

The family member responded to the request with anger and disbelief, asking whether the show truly believed the tragedy was appropriate for entertainment. They criticized the production team for what they saw as a serious lapse in judgment and expressed concern about the decision-making within the media industry.

In a follow-up statement, the production team said they will improve their internal procedures for guest casting. They once again offered a formal apology to the family and expressed their condolences for the loss.

The sinkhole incident occurred on March 24 on Dongnam-ro in Myeongil-dong. A 30-year-old man, Mr. Park, who was riding a motorcycle, lost his life in the accident. Another individual, a driver of a Carnival vehicle, sustained minor injuries.