Joo Byung-jin, Lee Kyung-kyu reunite on TV after 36 years apart
In short
Broadcasters Joo Byung-jin and Lee Kyung-kyu appeared together on television for the first time in 36 years, on the October 5 episode of tvN STORY’s “남겨서 뭐하게”. Lee publicly apologised to Joo on air, saying “내가 잘못했다”, and the two addressed the long-running talk of a feud between them. Joo said Lee should have at least sent him a message during his difficult times.
Read the full story 1 min read
Broadcasters Joo Byung-jin and Lee Kyung-kyu appeared together on television for the first time in 36 years, in the October 5 episode of tvN STORY’s “남겨서 뭐하게”. Chosun Ilbo reported that the meeting carried both gladness and awkwardness: Joo greeted Lee with “오래간만이다. 잘 있었나”, and Lee answered “선배님”. [ 1 , 2 ]
The two have a shared history going back to the 1980s, when Joo planned a corner on MBC’s “일밤” and worked with the younger Lee, according to Chosun Ilbo. Dong-A Ilbo described the reunion as coming 36 years after “일요일 일요일 밤에”. [ 2 , 4 ]
On the programme, Lee apologised publicly to Joo, saying “내가 잘못했다”, Dong-A Ilbo reported. Chosun Ilbo reported that Lee also explained the background to the long-standing talk of a feud between the two, a point Newsis highlighted in its feed summary. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Joo said Lee should have at least sent him a message during the period when he was struggling, according to Dong-A Ilbo. Chosun Ilbo reported that the two used the meeting to air misunderstandings and feelings of resentment built up over the long gap. [ 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The reunion closes, at least on screen, one of the longest-running personal rifts in Korean broadcasting, between two figures who worked together on a major 1980s MBC weekend programme. Because all coverage comes from national outlets’ entertainment desks, the significance is largely as a media and entertainment moment rather than anything with wider consequences.
Key facts
- Joo Byung-jin and Lee Kyung-kyu appeared together on the October 5 broadcast of tvN STORY’s “남겨서 뭐하게”, their first on-screen reunion in 36 years. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The two worked together on MBC’s “일밤” in the 1980s, where Joo planned a corner of the programme. [ 2 ]
- Lee Kyung-kyu apologised publicly to Joo on the programme, saying “내가 잘못했다”. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Joo said Lee should have at least sent a message during the period when he was struggling. [ 4 ]
- The meeting was described as carrying both gladness and awkwardness, with the two airing misunderstandings and hurt feelings built up over the years. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The programme addressed the long-standing rumour of a feud between the two. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- What caused the 36-year estrangement between the two. The documents describe accumulated misunderstandings, hurt feelings and a “feud rumour” but do not give a specific reason.
- Whether the two had been in contact privately before the broadcast. Only one document alludes to a lack of contact, in Joo’s remark about not receiving a message during his hard times.
- The exact name of the MBC programme they worked on together. One document names it as “일밤” and another refers to “일요일 일요일 밤에”, without the documents reconciling the two titles.
- The reunion was shown on tvN STORY’s “남겨서 뭐하게”, broadcast on October 5. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- October 5: Chosun Ilbo publishes its first report on the broadcast reunion, describing greetings exchanged between the two. [ 1 ]
- October 6: Chosun Ilbo follows up, reporting that Lee Kyung-kyu made a formal apology and explained the background to the feud rumour. [ 2 ]
- October 6: Newsis reports in its feed that the two spoke about the feud rumour after 36 years. [ 3 ]
- October 6: Dong-A Ilbo reports Joo’s remark about not being messaged in hard times and Lee’s public apology. [ 4 ]