Kim Je-dong hosts 'warm' news talk show

Kim Je-dong speaks about KBS news talk show “Tonight, Kim Je-dong” during a meeting with the press at a cafe in Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of KBS

By Park Jin-hai

Comedian and TV personality Kim Je-dong, who hasn't been shy about voicing political opinions, has landed a job as a host on KBS's new current affairs talk show, “Tonight, Kim Je-dong.”

KBS, in a bid to widen its audience appeal, tapped the 44-year-old outspoken liberal for the Monday-Thursday late-night show, which premiered last Monday. It looks at the major issues of the day from the perspective of viewers and explains them in easy-to-understand, witty words.

“I've never thought that citizens' opinions are less valuable than those of experts,” Kim said during a meeting with the press at a cafe in Seoul, Thursday. “In the hope that there could be a new talk show to deliver viewers' opinions, I accepted the job. In our show, viewers are not just passive consumers of news delivered by experts, but are active suppliers of news. I as a host want to listen to people's voices more.”

The show's producer Jung Byung-kwon said: “There was a shared opinion among producers that we should come up with a daily news talk show. We wanted to have a show that helps viewers connect dots for the social issues but in a less restrictive format.”

Although Kim is a popular “socialtainer” and receives overwhelming public support for his social awareness, having him as a news show host has faced controversies.

The KBS labor union previously said in a statement, “after the Moon Jae-in administration, many leftists have been hired for major KBS news programs and now it has placed a comedian-turned-talk-show host in the job of news presenter,” raising concerns for a possible breach of fair and balanced reporting.

Kim, who had been blacklisted by the conservative Lee Myung-bak government, along with fellow liberal entertainers, made it clear that he disapproves of “mechanical” neutrality, which is taking no sides at all.

“News programs should not be left-leaning or right-leaning,” he said. “But on subjects that require pros and cons opinions, I think we should not take just a mechanically neutral stance. Basically, my role is to deliver expert views impartially.

“Apart from a brief news summary in the beginning, my major role is to interview people. The reason that I really wanted to join this program was that I wanted to have a diary-like news show that wraps up the day before people go to bed.

“There were many controversies prior to its broadcasting on its format of having an entertainer hosting a news-like show. Many countries had experienced similar controversies before settling down as new form of news show.”

“Tonight, Kim Je-dong” airs at 11:30 p.m. on KBS, Mon-Thur.