The debate over comedian Yang Sang-guk's behavior just won't die down. He recently enjoyed a so-called "second heyday" on a slew of variety shows like Hangout with Yoo and You Quiz on the Block, but his blunt, no-filter comments keep landing him in hot water and splitting public opinion.
The latest controversy exploded after his appearance on the web variety show Just an Excuse, released on May 2. While discussing dating, Yang said, "If it's not something I'll do forever, I don't do it from the start," adding, "I don't walk my partner home." Yoo Jae-suk brought up consideration and safety, but Yang drew a line: "That's Yoo Jae-suk's style." He also warned, "If you bring it up one more time, I'll scold you," which some viewers slammed as rude.
Yang later apologized in an SNS comment, saying, "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable." Still, similar issues cropped up on other shows. On the May 4 episode of TV CHOSUN's Joseon's Romanticist, Yang visited a matchmaking agency. When a physiognomy counselor said he was "stubborn," Yang shot back, "A man should be stubborn." Even after being advised to "loosen that stubbornness a bit," he replied, "Don't elders have strong stubbornness too?" reigniting a fierce debate over his attitude.
Some viewers complained it felt like he was "talking back to an elder" and that "even variety shows should have boundaries." Others defended him, saying it was merely "a reaction that fits Yang's persona" and that people were taking "exaggerated expressions for laughs" too seriously.
Adding fuel to the fire, a face-reading segment from SBS's My Little Old Boy that aired last month is being revisited. On the show, physiognomist Park Sung-joon analyzed Yang's face as showing signs of strong desire, stubbornness, and mid-course frustration. At the time it was just a throwaway laugh, but as criticism over Yang's demeanor grows, that scene is trending again among netizens.
Yang has been riding a comeback wave thanks to his 'Crown Prince of Gimhae' persona. But with opinions divided between candor and rudeness, whether his straight-shooting style will solidify as a lovable character or become a liability now depends on his next moves.