Actor Kim Min-jong is set to open up about the emotional toll of the illegal gambling rumor controversy that derailed his career earlier this year, on the October 11 episode of SBS’s “My Ugly Duckling” airing at 9 p.m. KST.
According to MK Sports, the episode will show Kim hosting fellow actors Lee Jong-hyuk and Yoon Min-soo at his newly renovated Yangpyeong second house, a property he refurbished for the first time in five years. The visit takes a personal turn when Kim addresses the scandal that has haunted him for months.
The controversy began on May 18, when MC Mong claimed on a live broadcast that a celebrity-involved illegal gambling group existed and named Kim Min-jong directly. Kim’s side denied the allegation, arguing that his reputation built since his 1988 debut had been damaged as the claim spread online and through the press.
The fallout was immediate. Kim dropped out of a new film he was set to appear in, and talks for a Hollywood project plus two advertising contracts were suspended. As the damage mounted, Kim filed a criminal defamation complaint against MC Mong with the Seoul Jongno Police Station on September 1, and said he was considering civil damages claims as well.
No official statement was available from MC Mong’s camp beyond the apology. MC Mong met Kim in person four days after the complaint was filed and apologized, and Kim’s law firm, Oh Kim’s (attorney Oh Sung-heon), confirmed the criminal complaint was withdrawn on September 9.
On the show, Kim is expected to walk through the process from the apology to the withdrawal and share how he felt as a planned Hollywood project fell apart.
