Chungju Man Kim Suntae steps down from KBS show amid RESCENE controversy

Kim Suntae, who gained nationwide popularity as 'Chungju Man,' has announced his voluntary departure from the KBS variety show 'Donseontae's Era of Success.' The decision comes just one day after a controversy involving the girl group RESCENE erupted. While Kim apologized to the production team, cast members, and viewers, citing his own shortcomings, speculation is mounting that the program itself may be headed for cancellation.

On the 31st, Kim released a video approximately one minute long on his YouTube channel to directly address the situation.

“I think I was a bit too ambitious,” he said. “I wanted to try being a solo MC for a terrestrial broadcast, but having tried it, I realized it is not easy.”

He continued, “I lacked the ability, and I don't even have an agency. Since I was working alone, there were parts that were not smooth, and I faced difficulties communicating with the production team.”

Kim placed the responsibility for the decision squarely on his own shoulders.

“Not having a proper agency cannot be an excuse; ultimately, I think I lacked the ability,” Kim stated. “I felt a significant lack of capability in leading the broadcast as a solo MC, so I decided to voluntarily step down.”

Although he had created a successful new model for local government promotion through his 'Chungju Man' persona, he explained that he felt a greater burden than expected when stepping up as a central host for a major terrestrial variety show.

“The decision to step down was not easy,” he said. “I feel sorry to the broadcasting station that believed in me and gave me a regular programming slot, as I feel I did not meet those expectations.”

He added, “I apologized directly to the CEO of RESCENE's agency and also to the members. I felt even more sorry when I heard that the members were worried about me before I could even contact them.”

The incident was triggered by a pre-release video of 'Donseontae's Era of Success' released by KBS.

In the video, Kim posed a question to RESCENE member Woni regarding her past controversy involving the expression 'Museopno.' Woni explained, “I didn't think or say it in that way. It was just a word I used, and 'no' is often used like an exclamation.”

However, criticism grew as observers pointed out that the question itself could be perceived as forcing Woni, the party involved in the controversy, to explain herself once again.

Some critics raised concerns, asking, “Did he not just re-summon the controversy?” and “In a situation where the performer should have been protected, he instead placed a burden on them.”

Ultimately, the production team set the video to private and issued an official apology.

KBS stated, “We deeply reflect on the fact that we should have been more cautious during the content production process. We apologize to everyone who was inconvenienced, and we especially convey our apologies to RESCENE and Kim Suntae.”

Kim also noted that he is using this incident as an opportunity for self-reflection.

“Through this incident, I thought a lot about whether I had lost my original intention,” he said. “I will be more careful to ensure such things do not happen again in the future.”

Because the program 'Donseontae's Era of Success' prominently features Kim's name in its title, the departure of the main MC is highly likely to impact the program's continued existence.

Kim, who became an icon of innovation in administrative promotion as 'Chungju Man,' saw his first major venture into terrestrial variety shows come to a halt amidst controversy. Attention is now focused on whether this departure will be a simple failure or a period of reorganization to find a new direction.