MBC President and CEO, Park Sung Je, bows his head and officially apologizes for consecutive broadcast scandals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and here’s the full story.
MBC President and CEO Park Sung Je Bows His Head and Apologizes for 2020 Tokyo Olympics Broadcast Scandals
Regarding previous MBC consecutive broadcast scandals during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the company’s President bows and apologizes to the public.
On July 26, MBC President and CEO Park Sung Je held a press conference at the MBC Management Center. At the press conference, he bowed his head and apologized for having caused consecutive broadcast scandals concerning the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
South Korea’s Olympics Broadcaster #MBC President Park Sung-Je made an apology in a live press conference for controversial broadcast of #Olympics Opening Ceremony. pic.twitter.com/52Yw5iXNVY
— Prashant Sharma (@the_wimpy_kid18) July 26, 2021
During the press conference, MBC President and CEO Park Sung Je stated MBC’s broadcast had damaged the spirit of friendship, solidarity, and harmony of people worldwide, especially in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Then, the MBC president bowed at a 90-degree angle, apologizing to Korean citizens and all disappointed viewers on behalf of the company.
Just in: MBC President Park Sung-je just held a presser where he apologised for the MBC’s controversial Opening Ceremony coverage.
— Raphael Rashid (@koryodynasty) July 26, 2021
“Last weekend was the most painful and disastrous time since I took office as president of MBC” he said.
“Again, I bow my head down and apologise.” pic.twitter.com/rqrGo0flfk
Furthermore, Park Sung Je further elaborated that MBC was currently working to find out the cause and responsibility. Finally, they would also do their best to improve their corporate awareness.
MBC President and CEO Park Sung Je Apology Speech at Press Conference
“We did a broadcast that damaged the spirit of friendship, solidarity, and harmony of people around the world in the midst of a new coronavirus outbreak (COVID19) disaster.
I bow my head as the chief executive of MBC content to the people of the country and the disappointed viewers who were hurt by the careless broadcast and lack of consideration for the participating countries.
Last weekend was the most painful and disastrous time since the inauguration as the MBC president. After checking the circumstances of the first round, it seems that there is a problem with the basic norm recognition and content inspection system, which cannot be stopped as disciplinary action.
We are working to find out the cause and the responsibility. We will strengthen broadcasting codes, company regulations, and internal deliberation regulations, and create committees on ethics along with content adequacy screening systems to prevent such incidents from happening again.
We will do our best to improve corporate awareness that respects universal values and cultural diversity of mankind and values human rights and gender equality awareness in producing all contents as well as sports. We will fulfill our public responsibilities.”
Park Sung Je, President and CEO of MBC.
MBC Consecutive Broadcast Scandals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – Full Story
Previously, MBC had caused a commotion with their consecutive broadcast scandals regarding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. These scandals caused the MBC channel to receive intense backlash from both South Korean citizens and international viewers.
When Haitian athletes entered the stadium, an on-screen explanation said “the political situation is fogged by the assassination of the president.” When Syrian athletes entered, it said “rich underground resources; a civil war that has been going on for 10 years.”
— Raphael Rashid (@koryodynasty) July 23, 2021
MBC Presented Inappropriate Images During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony Broadcast
The MBC consecutive scandals started when the MBC channel aired inappropriate images during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony broadcast. The company used these inappropriate images to describe the participating countries.
Chernobyl for Ukraine
Trending in EU: South Korean broadcasting network MBC used Chernobyl picture while introducing the Ukraine Olympics team. https://t.co/tCRksDPKu3 pic.twitter.com/adMlV9xJW6
— EU Travels (@fop2014) July 24, 2021
Upheaval for Haiti
MBC we gotta talk…why y’all had to use that picture for Haiti???? That’s mad disrespectful pic.twitter.com/uCTd9tIyKV
— Josie – Jaejoong’s Haitian Wife (@Josieinthe90s) July 23, 2021
Bitcoin for El Salvador
El Salvador, known for Bitcoin
— Matthew Binns (@Matt_Binns) July 23, 2021
MBC are an embarrassment to Korean TV.#OpeningCeremony #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/zXNB4X2ITo
Pizza for Italy
PIZZA PASTA SOSO
— JɪʏᴏɴɢHʏᴜɴɢIsNᴏᴛHᴇʀᴇSᴏFᴏʟʟᴏᴡMᴇ (@sunsetbeachsara) July 27, 2021
😂😂😂 really MBC?!?!?
I mean us and Norway got away with food but CERNOBYL for Ukraine??! and political instability for Haïti ?!?
South Korea the land of f CLICHÉS 🤯 https://t.co/TCXJYi9k83
And various inappropriate images for other countries like Marshal Island, Norway, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
MBC Captioned Inappropriate Phrases Deemed Insensitive
Along with the inappropriate images, MBC also captioned some phrases that are deemed insensitive by the general viewers. The inappropriate phrases include the country’s GDP and COVID-19 vaccination rates.
no but i saw that MBC indicated the GDP and vaccination rate for Malaysia during the Tokyo Olympics. hello?? you can actually find even better infos about Malaysia. do some research????? pic.twitter.com/3dAgo2NS0l
— 🦊준호폭스🦊 (@LE3JUNHO) July 23, 2021
MBC Apologizes Multiple Times Regarding 2020 Tokyo Olympics Broadcast
Furthermore, during MBC real-time broadcast of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, viewers started to express their concerns regarding the inappropriate images. That was when MBC reporters immediately apologized.
“In today’s coverage of the Opening Ceremony, we used inappropriate images to introduce the athletes representing countries like Ukraine and Haiti. We also used inappropriate captions to highlight some of the other countries. We apologize to the viewers and the people of Ukraine and other countries.”
MBC.
And since netizens’ protests were still flooding the channel, MBC then apologized the second time via Twitter in Korean hangul. However, viewers criticized this apology for being “insincere” because MBC apologized to the international viewers using the Korean language.
On top of mislabelling countries geographically, perpetuating harmful stereotypes, ignoring cultural complexities, callously bringing up painful histories, MBC now tells the world to learn Korean if they want an apology. Would I find some sincerity if I did? Somehow I doubt it. https://t.co/3cVWHnmyCr
— ᴋɪʀᴀɴɪɴɢ❧ (@doramaticbites) July 24, 2021
Therefore, the company issued its third apology tweet, and this time, it was in English.
We apologize to the countries concerned and our viewers. It is an inexcusable mistake. Again, we are deeply sorry and regretful for the mistake.
— withMBC (@withMBC) July 24, 2021
July 24, 2021
MBC pic.twitter.com/eLJjrn3pJN
MBC Allegedly Mocked Marius Marin for Scoring Own Goal
However, after delivering their third apology in English, MBC once again posted an inappropriate caption during their 2020 Tokyo Olympics broadcast.
When the South Korea soccer team was in a match against Romania, a Romanian soccer player, Marius Marin, scored an own goal. It resulted in a 4 – 0 victory for South Korea in the Soccer group B match.
However, MBC posted an inappropriate caption regarding this event. The channel displayed, “Thank you Marin, own goal,” on the top of the screen during the game. Hence, it resulted in another series of protests from the public.
South Korean public broadcasting station MBC mocked Marius Marin‘s moment of shame with a message “Thank you Marin, own goal” pic.twitter.com/fCXLMOmXhP
— Romanian Football (@RoFtbl) July 25, 2021
MBC again?
— KOREANDRUID (@KOREANDRUID) July 26, 2021
They said “Thanks to Marius marin”
What a shit, what a shame MBC!
What we remember of Rumania is that they helped us in 2019, when we had a cruise ship accident from Budapest.
To all Rumanian players, well played in steamy hot asian summer.
[SHAME ON YOU, MBC] pic.twitter.com/DFMYIkiAdc
And more criticisms continue for MBC as they continued to make further mistakes in subtitling. These 2020 Tokyo Olympics broadcast scandals are why the MBC President and CEO Park Sung Je officially bows and apologizes at the MBC press conference.
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