[From MBC variety show "Nol Myeon Mwohani?"]
[From MBC variety show "Nol Myeon Mwohani?"]

Broadcaster Haha stepped in to defend actor Jeong Jun-won after his appearance on MBC variety show "Nol Myeon Mwohani?" (What Are You Doing When You Play?) sparked online controversy.

On Monday, Haha left a comment on a short-form clip of Jeong's segment, writing, "I was there on set, and he was so lovable, cute and fun."

"For a first variety show appearance, 'Nol Mwo' is genuinely difficult even for professionals," Haha wrote. He added that viewers should "watch him warmly and just enjoy the show" since Jeong is not a seasoned variety entertainer.

He closed by saying, "I applaud the actor. Please cheer him on. We're all rooting for him."

Jeong appeared on the Saturday episode alongside actor Gong Hyo-jin to promote "A Bona Fide Killer," a new MBC drama series in which the two play a married couple.

During a segment where cast members were asked to deliver the same line with different emotions, Jeong kept his eyes tightly shut and could not get the words out.

He eventually said he could do it, but host Yoo Jae-suk stepped in, said the time had passed and wrapped up the moment.

Jeong was given another chance — this time asked to deliver the line "How old are you?" with a sarcastic tone. Again, he closed his eyes and could not continue.

Haha threw his hat to the floor in an exaggerated reaction that drew laughs, while Yoo said he thought viewers at home must be wondering, "When on earth is this guy going to speak?" — barely concealing his exasperation.

Short-form clips of the segment spread across social media and online communities, drawing mixed reactions. Some viewers said Jeong appeared passive for someone who had come on the show to promote a project, while others argued his introverted personality could explain the behavior.

Haha also addressed his own visibly frustrated expression during the segment, saying it was "a reaction meant to play it up for laughs" and was done purely for entertainment value.

According to ratings firm Nielsen Korea, the Saturday episode drew a 4.1 percent household viewership rating in the greater Seoul area, with a peak of 6.0 percent.


dbsdn1110@heraldcorp.com