[Sportschosun Jo Min-jeong] Broadcaster Ahn Jung-hwan drew attention after directly referring to JTBC's financial difficulties on an entertainment show.
On JTBC's variety show 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator' since 2014, which aired on the 19th, chef Yu Yong-wook joined as a new member, and the cast traded witty remarks about the program's fierce competition.
That day, Yu Yong-wook revealed that before joining, he had heard from chef Kwon Seong-jun, "It won't be easy to get into 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator.' The teamwork is so solid that even if 'Culinary Class Wars 2' comes out, it still won't be easy." When other chefs teased Kwon, saying, "Why are you acting so smug outside?" he laughed it off, explaining, "There were chefs who were nervous before 'Culinary Class Wars 2' came out. I think a defense mechanism came out."
As the mood warmed up, Choi Hyun-seok joked, "It doesn't seem like the audio would go dead even if one person were missing," and added, "Let's cut appearance fees and drop one person." Kwon Seong-jun agreed, saying, "Let's just turn it into a survival show. We should create a second-string system." Hearing this, Ahn Jung-hwan made the studio burst into laughter by saying, "It feels like that. JTBC is having a hard time right now." When Son Jong-won chimed in, "Does that mean the set is going away?" Ahn continued the joke, adding, "If someone disappears in the middle, please just think, 'Oh, they left.'"
Ahn's comment drew even more attention as it came amid recent concerns over JTBC's worsening financial situation.
JTBC recently declared default after failing to repay 20.6 billion won in asset-backed borrowing by the maturity date. After that, JoongAng Holdings, JTBC, ContentreeJoongAng, Megabox Joongang, and other affiliates of the JoongAng Group applied for corporate rehabilitation proceedings.
Earlier reports also said that appearance fee payments to cast members of JTBC entertainment programs had been delayed, and that JTBC had informed agencies of the postponement.
Jo Min-jeong mj.cho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
