KBS suspends broadcaster Lee Gi Ho for on-air sexual harassment remarks

KBS N Sports has announced the suspension of caster Lee Gi Ho following his inappropriate remarks during the Hanwha-KT baseball game broadcast on August 1.

In a statement released on August 2, KBS N Sports said, "We have recognized the seriousness of the caster's problematic comments during the broadcast and have taken immediate suspension measures against him. We have also initiated procedures to refer the matter to the personnel committee and have suspended him from all assigned baseball broadcasting duties."

The broadcaster added, "We sincerely apologize to our viewers and baseball fans for this incident."

The controversy began when Lee Gi Ho commented on a Hanwha fan holding a poster that read, "If I were a woman, Choi Jae Hoon," joking that the fan would be able to date the baseball player if he were a woman. The broadcaster responded by saying, "I want to eat 'woman ramen.' Isn’t it the most delicious ramen?" using the Korean grammar as a pun. When saying "If I were a woman," it reads in Korean as 'Yeo Ja Ra Myun,' which can be taken as 'Woman Ramyun.' This remark sparked immediate backlash.

Although Lee Gi Ho later apologized for his "inappropriate comment," he faced severe criticism for his perceived sexual harassment remark.

The fan with the poster later posted on an online community, stating, "I received an apology from the PD and the caster. The conditions were to edit out the segment from the TVing video and to acknowledge and apologize for today's slip-up in the next broadcast. Please watch to see if these conditions are upheld."

Korean netizens commented:

"Wow... wtheck..."

"Dang... how does he think like that?"

"That's gross."

"I don't know who he is but he's so low."

"If he acts like that on broadcast, imagine how much worse he must be off-camera. Gross."

"It's crazy how easy it is to live a messed-up life, and yet he still has a job."

"Wow, I wondered what he said... is he having a crazy private chat?"

"That is such a gross thing to say."

"So crazy, he really said that?"

"He needs to be fired."

"This is not his first time, so they should just fire him. lol."