[Sportschosun Jo Min-jeong reporter] Broadcaster Shin Jung-hwan is teaming up with a new agency and preparing to resume his broadcasting career.
According to industry sources, Shin recently signed an exclusive contract with the newly established management company Gorani Entertainment.
The deal is said to reflect Shin's decision to shift his focus back to broadcasting after spending a long time on private business. He has been running restaurant and meal-kit businesses, and now plans to fully resume entertainment activities.
Gorani Entertainment was founded by Jeong Hyeong-hwan, the CEO of Content World, and Shin will join as the agency's first celebrity. The two have known each other for more than 20 years. Jeong previously directed the popular SBS variety segment "Extreme vs. Extreme" on the show "Good Friends," where he discovered the then-rookie duo Country Kko Kko. He is also known for giving Shin the chance to host outdoor segments when Nam Hee-seok was absent from his MC duties, helping him show his potential as an entertainer. Having watched Shin's variety instincts and talent for years, Jeong is reportedly determined to personally support his return to broadcasting through the launch of the new agency.
Public opinion on Shin's comeback remains divided. Some people are cheering him on, saying, "It is time to give him another chance after such a long period of self-reflection." Others, however, argue that he must first rebuild public trust over the controversies from his past.
Shin effectively halted his broadcasting career after the 2010 overseas gambling scandal and the so-called "dengue fever false explanation" controversy. He has attempted several comebacks since then, but has not returned to terrestrial television.
With this exclusive contract, public attention is now focused on whether Shin can reestablish himself in the broadcasting industry.
Jo Min-jeong, mj.cho@sportschosun.com
