Controversy Over Profanity Leads to Heated Debate... Show Host Jeong Yoon-jung Eventually Closes SNS

Netizens Criticize, "If You Don't Like It, Don't Watch" Switches to Private
Broadcasting Review Committee Rules Violation, Decides on 'Statement of Opinion'

Famous show host Jung Yoon-jung (47), who caused a controversy over her attitude by swearing during a live broadcast, has switched her SNS account to private.

On the 17th, Jung Yoon-jung's Instagram account was set to private, allowing only existing followers to view her posts. Earlier, she expressed displeasure at comments criticizing her broadcasting attitude and engaged in a heated exchange with netizens.

Famous show host Jung Yoon-jung (47), who caused a controversy over her attitude by swearing during a live broadcast, switched her SNS to private after a heated argument with netizens.
[Photo by Asia Economy]

When a netizen sarcastically commented, "Is the broadcast comfortable?" Jung Yoon-jung replied, "You must really dislike me. Then don't ever watch my Instagram or my broadcasts. Getting angry causes stress, which is bad for your health."

Another netizen supported Jung Yoon-jung, saying, "So this is what Instagram is like. The comments are scary." In response, Jung Yoon-jung said, "You just have to laugh. Everyone thinks differently, and I have long understood that."

On January 28, during a live broadcast on Hyundai Home Shopping, despite the cosmetics she was selling being sold out, she could not end the broadcast early due to a travel program scheduled to air afterward. She expressed frustration with swearing, saying, "Travel products are only broadcast for a fixed time. Why travel again, Lee?", "XX I was going to go on a trip," and so on.

A netizen left a sarcastic comment saying, "Is broadcasting comfortable for you?" to which Jung Yoon-jung responded, "You must really dislike me. Then don't ever watch my Instagram or my broadcasts. Getting angry causes stress, which is bad for your health." [Image source=Jung Yoon-jung Instagram]

After the production team pointed out the swearing and requested a correction, she said, "Should I make a correction? I'm good at corrections. Ah, inappropriate language on the broadcast. Yes, I'll do that. What did I say? I forgot." Then she added, "Yes, sometimes I use inappropriate language during broadcasts, and I apologize, but please watch it like entertainment. Can't home shopping enter the era of entertainment?"

The swearing incident was not known at the time but was revealed to the media on the 14th when the Korea Communications Standards Commission (hereafter KCSC) held an advertising review subcommittee and reviewed the Hyundai Home Shopping broadcast, which became problematic due to the use of inappropriate language by the cast during a product sales broadcast.

The KCSC judged that this case violated Article 37, Paragraph 2 of the regulations on product introduction and sales broadcasts, stating, "Product introduction and sales broadcasts must not use slang, euphemisms, or vulgar coinages that harm the proper language use of the public." All commissioners decided on a 'statement of opinion.'

A 'statement of opinion' is a process where the KCSC gives the party an opportunity to explain before imposing sanctions. The home shopping company must attend the next meeting and answer related questions from the commissioners. After hearing the explanation, the advertising subcommittee decides the level of sanctions. If a 'legal sanction' is decided, the case is discussed once more at a plenary session before the final sanction level is determined.

Meanwhile, Jung Yoon-jung, who has been active as a show host since 2002 and currently appears as a freelancer on various home shopping channels, is known to receive one of the highest salaries in the industry. In a 2017 broadcast, she boasted, "Whenever I sell, I sell 10,000 units, so my nickname changed from 'Complete Sell-out Woman' to 'Ten Thousand Sell-out Woman'." When the host asked if she earned 4 billion won annually, Jung Yoon-jung did not disclose the exact amount but said, "I receive the highest in the industry."