Singer Cho Gap-kyung drew attention by appearing on air without any edits despite controversy over her son's alleged affair.
The April 1 broadcast of MBC's variety show Radio Star aired a 'Loyalty Trigger' special featuring Cho Gap-kyung, Chae Yeon, Go Woo-ri, and Lee Chae-young. Cho appeared without any special editing and looked no different from usual.
On the show, Cho reminisced about her days as the original 'military sweetheart' and showed off her quick wit. "I get nervous around top stars," she confessed. "When I see famous people, it becomes hard to start a conversation." She added, "It was my first time seeing Jang Do-yeon in person, and I hesitated even in the waiting room about whether I should talk to her," revealing an unexpectedly shy side. She also joked that she still feels awkward around Kim Gook-jin, the husband of her close friend Kang Su-ji.
She also mentioned hosting a radio program on K-defense FM, saying, "I recently gained a female fan in her 30s. I was so grateful to meet a true fan even at my age," creating a heartwarming moment.
However, Cho is facing ongoing controversy off-screen due to issues involving her son’s private life. Her son's ex-wife, referred to as A, publicly claimed he had an affair and brought their conflict to light, reportedly filing a lawsuit seeking damages. In the first trial, Cho's son was reportedly ordered to pay a certain amount in damages and child support.
In response, Cho and her husband Hong Seo-beom previously issued an official statement: "We did not intervene in our adult son's private life, but as parents, we fell short," offering an apology.
Even after that, the ex-daughter-in-law's side continued to voice strong dissatisfaction on social media with additional claims. In particular, she criticized Cho's ongoing TV appearances, further fueling the controversy.
Despite the ongoing firestorm, Cho's unedited appearance on variety TV sparked mixed reactions online, ranging from "Is it okay to air this without edits?" and "What are they thinking?" to "It's not even her fault" and "It would be unfair to cut her because of an adult child."