Actor Byeon Woo-seok is set to make his first public appearance since apologizing over the controversial MBC drama 21segi Daegunbuin, drawing major attention to whether he’ll address the issue head-on.
On the 19th, a press conference for the Netflix variety show Yoo Jae-suk Camp will be held at JW Marriott Dongdaemun in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Byeon Woo-seok, Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, Ji Ye-eun, and the production team behind Yoo Jae-suk Camp are expected to attend.
Byeon’s appearance is especially notable as it comes immediately after backlash surrounding 21segi Daegunbuin. From its early episodes, the series faced criticism for factual errors, and as it neared its finale, allegations of historical distortion and ties to China’s Northeast Project pushed it to the center of public controversy.
As the controversy escalated, Byeon issued an apology on the 18th, saying, "I didn’t think deeply enough about the work’s historical context and meaning, or how it would be received by viewers," and bowed his head.
With the press conference proceeding while the drama-related uproar hasn’t fully died down, many are watching to see if on-site questions will probe the issue — and whether Byeon will share any additional stance.
Meanwhile, Yoo Jae-suk Camp is a group-camp–concept variety show led by rookie camp manager Yoo Jae-suk alongside a cast of strong personalities, and marks Byeon Woo-seok’s first fixed role on a variety program. Yoo Jae-suk Camp premieres on May 26.