'Politainer' Kim Je-dong drops out of spotlight after controversy

Sep 4, 2019

Korean television personality Kim Je-dong runs a show with his own name in 2015.

Entertainer and show MC Kim Je-dong is set to quit his radio program called "Good Morning FM, Kim Je-dong," which he has been hosting for a year and five months. The move came Monday, following his departure from "Tonight, Kim Je-dong," a news talk show aired on KBS.

His role in show business is unique as he is called a "politainer," a Konglish portmanteau of "politician" and "entertainer," for being vocal on thorny political issues and active in left-leaning political rallies. He rose to fame because of this and is set to quit the radio show for the same reason ― his outspokenness that has provided him with both supporters as well as detractors.

Kim has also been mired in a scandal regarding his high lecture fees, and criticized for having biased points of view on political issues ― the reasons some think, he left the shows.

On "Tonight, Kim Je-dong," he interviewed the leader of the Kim Jong-un Welcoming Committee which was aired on public broadcaster KBS. The union at the broadcaster accused the staff and people in charge of the program of violating the National Security Act.

The issue of high lecture fees was sparked when it was revealed he was going to be paid 15.5 million won ($14,000) for a 90-minute lecture in Daejeon. Daedeok County canceled the event with Kim's consent in line with popular opinion that it not go forward.

Kim was also paid 27 million won for two lectures in Asan, South Chungcheong Province.

According to Jang Ki-seung, a city councilor there, he received 15 million won for a lecture at a festival, April 29, 2018; and 12 million won in November the same year for appearing at a speech at a competition.

In 2017, he collected 16.2 million won for a lecture, "From People To People," at a "Realizing participatory democracy at a 2017 town hall meeting," held at the Army Training Center.

These are not isolated cases as he was given 13 million won from Gimpo County, and 15 million won from Dongjak-gu Office in Seoul.

The district office authorities said they held a "Humanities and Culture Festival" at Soongsil University in December 2017. Kim gave a 100-minute talk titled "Goodbye 2017," and te payment came from the local government's finances.

Kim allegedly began to receive higher fees after President Moon Jae-in's inauguration. According to a report provided by Rep. Lee Un-ju, Kim received only 3 million won for a 90-minute event titled "From People To People" in 2014, when President Park Geun-hye was in power. However, after President Moon was ele3cted in, his payments rocketed up to over 10 million won a time.

Some say his high payments are the result of his effort and labor. According to some in the field, it costs 20 million won for a one-time lecture from Kim.

"The reality is that entertainers who have less content in their lectures receive 5 million won to 6 million won," they said. "If higher payments are a problem, all celebrities should be criticized for the fees they receive from participating in events."

Kim debuted as a show runner in 1994, and worked as MC until he met rock star Yoon Do-hyun, who gave him the opportunity to appear in show business and television in 2002.

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