According to DongA Ilbo on the 20th, chef Im Seong-geun who recently gained widespread attention through Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars 2 was found to have been convicted of drunk driving four times, not three as he previously admitted.

Court records show that on September 21, 1999, Im was fined 5 million won for driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level of 0.153 percent, exceeding the license revocation threshold of 0.1 percent. He reportedly drove approximately 3 kilometers in the Incheon area without a valid license, using his wife’s motorcycle, and was detained for 37 days.

Further reports revealed that Im Seong-geun was already on probation at the time, following a March 25, 1998 sentence for violating traffic laws that resulted in eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and an additional fine. With four DUI offenses included, he is now described as having five criminal convictions. Allegations have also emerged that his earlier confession was a preemptive move made as media investigations were underway.

As criticism mounted over Im’s participation in Culinary Class Wars 2 without full disclosure of his past, another controversy involving a dating reality show contestant came to light. On the same day, JTBC’s Case Chief reported the story of a woman identified as “A,” who appeared on SBS’s dating program Match to Marry: With Parents alongside her mother.

A whistleblower, identified as a woman in her 40s, claimed that “A” had engaged in an extramarital affair with her husband, leading to the collapse of her 15-year marriage. In 2022, the court ruled in favor of the whistleblower in an adultery lawsuit, ordering both the husband and “A” to pay 30 million won in damages. However, the compensation has reportedly not been paid, with “A” denying receipt of the court ruling.

The whistleblower said she suffered renewed trauma after unexpectedly seeing “A” on television seeking a new partner. She expressed distress over what she described as “a complete erasure of the past,” stating that watching the show left her unable to sleep for days.

In response, the production team acknowledged the issue and stated that they are reviewing legal action, including potential claims for damages. The producers explained that all cast members were required to declare no involvement in serious social controversies such as crimes or affairs and confirmed that the contestant’s remaining footage would be edited out.

With back-to-back scandals involving criminal records and undisclosed personal histories, public criticism has increasingly focused on “ordinary participant risk” in reality programming. Viewers have questioned how individuals with such backgrounds were cast without proper vetting, renewing calls for stricter background checks and accountability within the industry.

Sources: Naver