‘Unanswered Questions’ that brought down the 31-year biased broadcasting of “Fifty-Fifty”, finally demands its shutdown.

SBS’s program ‘Unanswered Questions’ is facing its biggest crisis in broadcasting history. Not only has it shattered its long-standing reputation due to the biased broadcasting controversy, but it is now facing demands for its shutdown.

On the 19th, through the episode titled ‘Billboard and Girl Groups – Who Broke Their Wings’ that aired on ‘Unanswered Questions,’ the focus was on the exclusive contract dispute between Fifty-Fifty and the agency Attract. However, the criticism turned towards biased broadcasting, as the show seemed to lean towards the perspectives of the members, families, and fans unilaterally. Additionally, it faced strong backlash from the industry for using imagery that compared K-pop to a gambling table.

The Korean Entertainment Producers’ Association (KEPA) and the Korea Management Union (KMU) stated, “‘Unanswered Questions’ has lost its fairness and public interest in broadcasting. It distorted the essence of the incident by providing a biased false report that relied on the one-sided claims and emotional appeals of Fifty-Fifty. It denigrated the general cultural industry by likening it to a gambling table, insulting the producers who manage their businesses legitimately, and it severely damaged the honor of the workers. They replayed the production company’s funding and revenue distribution process like a gambling game, denigrating the ethical business activities of decent producers.” They demanded strong disciplinary action against those responsible for ‘Unanswered Questions’ and called for decisive sanctions by the Broadcast Review Committee against SBS, which failed to fulfill its public responsibility and protect viewers’ rights.

Even viewers joined the uproar. The ‘Unanswered Questions’ viewer bulletin board was filled with protest posts, and around 400 complaints were submitted to the Korea Communications Standards Commission. Particularly, online communities are flooded with certified posts demanding the shutdown of ‘That Channel.’

Since its debut in March 1992, ‘That Channel’ has been acknowledged as a representative current affairs program with in-depth coverage and well-structured content. However, amidst the biased broadcasting controversy and silence, it has brought down its 31-year-long stature, causing disappointment. Currently, ‘Unanswered Questions’ has made the preview for the Fifty-Fifty episode private, but the rerun services continue as usual.