Chef Lim Seong-geun Suspends Broadcast Activities Amid Controversy Over Six Criminal Records... Complete Editing of 'Culinary Class Wars'

Chef Lim Seong-geun, who gained public popularity through the Netflix show 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Season 2, announced that he would fully suspend his broadcast activities as the controversy over his past DUI criminal record spread.

⬦ "There Were More Than Confessions"... Six Criminal Records Revealed, Authenticity Controversy Ignited

On the 21st, a representative from Chef Lim's side officially confirmed via phone that "we have decided to fully suspend broadcast activities."

Chef Lim recently confessed through his YouTube channel that he had been punished three times for DUI in the past. However, additional facts about two violations of the Road Traffic Act in 1998 and 1999 were revealed through a published judgment, leading to a controversy over authenticity.

In response, Chef Lim's side declared the suspension of broadcast activities by revealing additional past records of being fined for mutual assault through a media interview. Including this record, Chef Lim's total criminal records amount to six.

Chef Lim's side stated, "Since it was about 30 years ago, I couldn't remember the details," asserting that there was no intention to downplay the criminal records. However, they added that in some home shopping broadcasts, "it is unavoidable to appear until the products are sold out as per the contract."

⬦ 〈Culinary Class Wars〉 Complete Editing and 〈Salon Drip〉 Cancellation... Broadcasting Industry Cuts Ties

As the controversy spread, the broadcasting industry is effectively moving towards expelling Chef Lim. The production team of MBC's 〈The Manager Who Sees Everything〉 has already decided not to air the segments featuring Chef Lim that have been filmed. SBS's 〈Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 - You Are My Destiny〉 has also completed recording but is deliberating on whether to edit it out.

MBC's 〈What Do You Do When You Play?〉, KBS 2TV's 〈New Release Restaurant〉, and JTBC's 〈Knowing Bros〉 have withdrawn offers or excluded Chef Lim from the recording list. The YouTube entertainment show 〈Salon Drip〉, operated by the production company of Kim Tae-ho, has also decided to cancel the episode featuring Chef Lim that was scheduled to air on the 23rd.

⬦ Repeated Participant Risks... Netflix "Concerned About Verification Limitations"

Netflix, which produced 〈Culinary Class Wars 2〉, also addressed the controversy regarding the failure to verify participants. At a press conference held on the morning of the same day, Yoo Gi-hwan, director of Netflix's Korean entertainment division, mentioned, "There are many limitations in thoroughly understanding an individual's (criminal) history from the past," adding, "We are trying our best to comply with verification procedures within legal limits, but we are contemplating how to address issues that cannot be discovered despite our efforts."

Chef Lim, who holds a Korean cooking master qualification, gained recognition by winning the tvN show 〈Korean Cuisine Battle Season 3〉 in 2015. He recently gained public popularity by being selected as one of the final seven in 〈Culinary Class Wars 2〉, and has continued to be active by appearing in various entertainment programs such as 〈You Quiz on the Block〉.