"He belittled the noble sacrifice of the fallen police officer with vulgar slang."
Broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo officially bowed his head regarding the use of inappropriate profanity while mentioning a fallen police officer during a variety show. This action comes in response to growing criticism that he has defamed the honor of a public servant, going beyond a simple verbal mistake.
Jeon Hyun-moo's agency, SM C&C, released a statement on the 23rd, saying, "We feel a heavy responsibility for the hurt caused to the deceased and their family by some expressions used in the broadcast." The agency stated, "Regardless of the context, we should have been more cautious when mentioning the deceased," and expressed deep regret for not carefully considering the appropriateness of the expressions used.
◇ How Did the 'Knife Stabbing' Comment Controversy Emerge?
The controversy began with the second episode of the Disney+ variety show 'Fate War 49' that aired on the 11th. The broadcast covered the story of the late Officer Lee Jae-hyun, who died in the line of duty while apprehending a suspect in 2004, and conducted a mission to guess the cause of death of the deceased.
During this process, a shaman used the slang term 'knife stabbing' to refer to a wound inflicted by a weapon, and Jeon Hyun-moo quoted it without intervening, continuing the show. Co-star Shin Dong also showed agreement with this, provoking public outrage.
◇ Police Association: "A Nail in the Heart of 140,000 Police Officers"... Strong Protest
In response, the National Police Association immediately issued a statement expressing strong regret. The association stated, "He belittled the sacrifice of police officers who died protecting the lives of citizens with vulgar slang and made it a subject of amusement," expressing their anger.
They continued, "This broadcast not only seriously defamed the honor of the deceased but also drove a nail into the hearts of the 140,000 police officers who are currently fighting on the front lines," strongly urging the deletion of the episode and a sincere apology from the cast.
◇ Controversy Over Belittling Firefighters Adds Insult to Injury
This is not the first issue with the program. In the same episode, they used the cause of death of the late firefighter Kim Cheol-hong, who died in the 2001 Hongje-dong fire disaster, as a guessing material, which drew fierce backlash from the firefighter union and the family of the deceased. The family claimed, "We were deceived by the explanation that it was intended to honor national heroes," asserting that the actual broadcast mocked the deceased's death and hinted at legal action.
The production team and Jeon Hyun-moo's side explained, "It was intended to reflect on the noble story," but criticism that they consumed the death of a fallen public servant as a sensational entertainment tool has not easily subsided. Jeon Hyun-moo's side promised to strengthen internal checks and establish stricter standards to prevent recurrence.
