"I hope this will be a time for self-reflection"
Jo Se-ho denies allegations: "They are not true"
Broadcaster Yoo Jae-suk mentioned Jo Se-ho's absence on the episode of "You Quiz on the Block" aired on the 24th. Photo by tvN YouTube capture
Yoo Jae-suk mentioned the absence of broadcaster Jo Se-ho, who stepped down from the tvN variety show "You Quiz on the Block" after being embroiled in allegations of ties to organized crime.
On the episode of "You Quiz" aired on the 24th, Yoo Jae-suk conducted the interviews with guests alone. Previously, he had conducted interviews alongside Jo Se-ho, but for the second consecutive week since last week, Yoo Jae-suk hosted the show by himself.
Introducing guest Moon Yoo-seok, a writer and former judge, Yoo Jae-suk said, "After 23 years as a judge, you became a writer. These days, it seems that many people who work as doctors or in the legal field are writing dramas based on their real-life experiences."
He then glanced at the empty seat next to him and said, "I'm just rambling on by myself now. In the past, it was a back-and-forth, but now it's just me," smiling as he referenced Jo Se-ho, who had co-hosted the show with him for seven years since 2018.
On the broadcast aired on the 17th, Yoo Jae-suk also personally delivered the news of Jo Se-ho's departure, saying, "Jo Se-ho is leaving You Quiz because of this incident. Both of us have been together for a long time, but now that I actually have to host You Quiz alone, it feels... As he himself said, I hope this will be a meaningful time for him to reflect on himself."
Jo Se-ho recently stepped down from You Quiz and the KBS variety show "2 Days & 1 Night" after multiple allegations surfaced regarding his association with organized crime figures. However, in a statement released on the 9th, he clarified that it was not true that he was directly or indirectly involved with organized crime.
Jo Se-ho explained, "Since I have attended many local events for a long time, I have met a wide variety of people. I should have been more careful about my relationships, but in my younger days, I was not mature enough to handle things properly. However, as many people are concerned, the suspicions raised due to those connections are completely unfounded."
His agency, A2Z Entertainment, also stated, "Jo Se-ho and our agency intend to respond more strictly to this matter. We will take faster and stronger legal action to clear up misunderstandings surrounding Jo Se-ho and restore his damaged reputation. We would also like to reiterate that the claim that he received money or valuables from Mr. Choi for business promotion purposes is clearly not true."
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