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Staff reporter
Comedienne-turned-TV hostess Kim Mi-hwa claimed Tuesday that she has been “blacklisted” by the state-run broadcaster KBS which has tacitly banned certain entertainers from appearing in its programs.
KBS denied the list existed and threatened to file a legal suit against Kim.
“I was told that I could not be in any KBS programs because my name was on the blacklist. If that is true, it is pity since I have worked with many of the staff there for over 20 years,” wrote Kim, one of the most notable liberal TV hostesses, on her twitter account Tuesday morning. She continued, “When someone came up with the blacklist theory sometime ago, I didn’t believe it. I hope some KBS insider would verify the rumor.”
This is not the first time KBS has been accused of blacklisting entertainers from its programs for political ideas or participation in social events. Singer Yoon Do-hyun, who used to host a nighttime talk show dubbed “Love Letter” and Kim Je-dong, who had led several highly-rated programs such as “Star Golden Bell,” were both dismissed from their programs after they paid tribute to the late former President Roh Moo-hyun and expressed opposition to recent governmental policies.
In April Kim Mi-hwa was rejected by the KBS board as the narrator of a documentary film. The management cited that her voice did not suit the film direction but speculators gossiped that her outspoken views on sensitive social issues with a liberal point of view may have caused board members to feel uncomfortable about working with her.
In the recorded minutes of the meeting, a staff member said, “I can’t believe such a troublesome person is still working for KBS. I think something went wrong with the gate keeping.”
It raised the eyebrows of many people since she had started her career as a KBS comedienne and remained one of the most popular entertainers of all time.
She is also one of the original members of the ever-popular “Gag Concert” and has led many philanthropic activities that were praised by the public.
A KBS insider told online media Seoprise, “I don’t know whether there is a real blacklist. But it is true that show producers and directors are too intimidated to hire those people.”
KBS refuted Kim’s remarks and said it will take legal countermeasures against the claims. “It is a completely groundless rumor. Is she trying to defame KBS?” Han Sang-deok, spokesman of KBS, said.
김미화씨 KBS 블랙리스트 들어있다고 주장
여성 코미디언 김미화씨가 지난 화요일 공영방송 KBS의 블랙리스트에 올라있으며 이 때문에 특정 방송인들의 KBS출연을 금지 당하고 있다고 주장했다.
이에 KBS는 블랙리스트의 존재를 부인했으며, 김씨에 대해 법정 대응을 할 예정이다.
“KBS 내부에 출연금지 문건이 존재하며 돌고 있기 때문에 출연이 않된답니다. 제가 아주 실망한 것은 KBS안에 있는 PD들은 저와 함께 20년 넘게 동고동락했던 사람들이고, 친구들입니다.” 라고 화요일 오전 국내에서 가장 주목 받는 MC 중 한 명인 김씨가 자신의 트위터에 올렸다. 김씨는 “KBS에서 근무하는 분이 이 글을 보신다면, 처음 그 말이 언론에 나왔을 때 제가 믿지 않았던, 정말 한심하다고 생각했던 ‘블랙리스트’ 라는 것이 실재로 존재하고 돌아다니고 있는 것인지 밝혀주십시오”라고 말했다.
KBS는 정치적인 의견이나 사회적 이벤트 참석 등의 이유로 방송인들을 블랙리스트에 올린다는 의심을 받는 것이 이번이 처음이 아니다. 저녁 방송 “러브 레터”의 MC였던 윤도현, “스타 골든벨”과 같이 인기 방송 프로그램에 출연했던 김제동 등은 자신들이 최근 정부에 대해 반대를 표했으며 노무현 전대통령에게 헌사를 하고 난 뒤 출연하고 있던 프로그램에서 물러나게 되었다.
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