Coupang Play's comedy show 'SNL Korea' is heating up with Yook Sungjae's shocking transformation.
In the episode of 'SNL Korea' Season 7 released on the 7th, Yook Sungjae appeared as the host and performed skits as an idol and a younger man. Yook Sungjae shed his idol visuals and made a bold transformation with fearless acting even in somewhat risqué scenes. After the broadcast, the online community exploded with reactions. Many criticized that it crossed the line and was not something to just laugh off.
The so-called 'low-quality controversy' surrounded the segment 'When a Testosterone Man Falls in Love.' In this segment, Yook Sungjae, labeled as 'Estrogen Man,' experiences a breakup with 'Testosterone Woman' Ji Ye-eun and seeks revenge through harsh 'Testosterone Man' training.
In particular, the scene where Yook Sungjae puts his hand in his pants and sniffs after the breakup raised eyebrows. Some netizens expressed disappointment, saying, “That’s neither a ruined performance nor a funny gag. If that’s funny, the standards are seriously low,” and “I’m upset about why Yook Sungjae is doing such a disgusting act.” Others commented, “It’s too lowbrow humor. I’ve lost all affection for the cast,” and “It’s so provocative that I can’t watch it as it crosses the line.”
On the other hand, there were also positive comments like, “Isn’t that the concept of the show?” “I’m starting to like the courageous Yook Sungjae,” and “It was a bit shocking, but it was funny.”
Meanwhile, MC Shin Dong-yeob, known for his 'sex jokes,' also seemed somewhat surprised. He remarked, “Wasn’t it a day where I fell for Yook Sungjae, who appeared as the last host?” and praised Yook Sungjae’s passion and effort, saying, “Due to the nature of live comedy shows, the script changed several times on the day, but he perfectly handled everything.”
‘SNL Korea’ is the original Korean version of the popular American comedy show ‘SNL.’ Currently, all episodes up to the reboot Season 7 have been released on Coupang Play, and it has continuously sparked controversy.
Previously, in the Kim Sa-rang episode, Kim Sa-rang was shown inserting a straw into Shin Dong-yeob's mouth to pass a drink, which led to viewer discomfort. In the Moon Chae-won episode, Moon Chae-won was depicted seemingly rubbing her foot on Kim Won-hoon's important area, receiving criticism for being “too risqué” and “an unpleasant portrayal that crossed the line.”
Moreover, ‘SNL Korea’ Season 7 has also been labeled as a 'image laundering' show for casting actors with problematic pasts. Seo Ye-ji, who was embroiled in gaslighting controversy involving actor Kim Jung-hyun, appeared and presented a skit that mocked the controversy, while last month, actor Bae Sung-woo, who is currently under self-reflection for drunk driving, was featured without mentioning the controversy, facing severe criticism.
Compared to other seasons, ‘SNL Korea’ Season 7 has faced criticism for its particularly provocative and high-level portrayals, and ultimately, even the last content of the season, the Yook Sungjae episode, could not escape controversy.
[Kim Mi-ji, Star Today Reporter]
