Cast Members Play 'Pok?mon Go' Game... JTBC's Knowing Bros Faces Legal Sanctions

The Serious Problem of Openly Advertising Specific Products

The show 'Knowing Bros,' which aired scenes of cast members playing the game 'Pok?mon Go,' has ultimately received legal sanctions.

The Korea Communications Standards Commission held a plenary meeting on the 17th and decided to issue a legal sanction of 'warning' to JTBC's entertainment program 'Knowing Bros.'

Ryu Hee-rim, Chairman of the Korea Communications Standards Commission, presiding over the plenary meeting. Photo by Yonhap News

In the episode broadcast on September 21 last year, the program showed idol singers and regular cast members playing a game outdoors on their smartphones, along with captions such as 'Pok?mon Go Safari Zone: Incheon Now Accepting Reservations.'

As a result, a complaint was filed stating, "It was uncomfortable to watch because the program applied forced game rules created to showcase a specific game for about 35 minutes in a variety show that many children watch."

The commission judged, "The problem is serious as it went beyond subtle, almost invisible indirect advertising (PPL) to openly advertising a specific product."

The commission also decided to issue a legal sanction of 'warning' to SpoTV for broadcasting voice and captions such as "I don't have a house in Gangnam" and "I don't have luxury goods on my wrist" in the advertisement for the 12+ rated mobile game 'Naman Eopseo Dragon' (Dragon, Only I Don't Have).

Additionally, administrative guidance was recommended for KBS-2FM, MBC-FM, and SBS-FM due to the excessive use of foreign words and slang, including phrases like 'opened a beer,' 'sad mood,' 'one by one,' 'artists' wannabe,' and 'Tsar Bomba.'

Meanwhile, statements from related parties were decided for MBC-FM's '2 O'Clock Date with Ahn Young-mi,' which aired content mentioning profanity, and SBS-FM's 'Escape at 2 O'Clock Cultwo Show,' which received complaints for using onomatopoeia reminiscent of male genitalia causing sexual discomfort. Also, related parties will be heard regarding tvN's 'Naked History,' which displayed a specific furniture brand name on chairs used by cast members during the broadcast.