Shin Dong-yup Recalls Absurd Rumors from the 90s: 'Kang Ho-dong Allegedly Caused Actress's Chest Injury'

Broadcaster Shin Dong-yup reminisced about the 'word-of-mouth culture' that dominated the entertainment scene in the 1980s and 90s, revealing some bizarre rumors that were actually circulated.

In a YouTube video uploaded on the 17th to the channel 'Zzanhan Hyung' titled 'Return of the Legend. Round and Round Again [Zzanhan Hyung EP.119]', Shin Dong-yup appeared with singer Jeon In-kwon to share behind-the-scenes stories from the era.

"Back then, there was no internet and no way to verify things, so rumors passed from mouth to mouth were much scarier," Shin Dong-yup began.

Jeon In-kwon added, "People would even deliberately spread false stories to create 'word-of-mouth,'" shedding light on the unique cultural atmosphere of the time.

Shin Dong-yup recalled, "People would hear absurd stories, be half-believing, half-entertained, and then before you knew it, these unbelievable tales would solidify into 'fact.'"

He then shared a conversation he had with Kang Ho-dong over drinks, mentioning a particularly outlandish rumor about him. "Ho-dong had so many strange rumors back then. One of them was that he injured a female actress's chest. Even though it wasn't true, people believed it, thinking, 'It seems like something Kang Ho-dong would do.'"

Shin Dong-yup expressed regret, noting that the actress involved had no prior connection with Kang Ho-dong and suffered greatly due to the unwarranted attention. "She told me how difficult it was because of the stares she received everywhere she went."

He recounted asking the actress about the rumor during a recording of 'Gag Concert' (쟁반노래방). "She told me she was so wronged and dying to clear her name, and she was grateful."

Shin Dong-yup also mentioned an experiment conducted on the KBS show 'Sponge', where they tested how much impact silicone could withstand. The experiment showed that the material maintained its shape even when run over by a truck, proving the physical impossibility of the rumor.

"In those days, romance and barbarism coexisted," Shin Dong-yup concluded. "Unverified stories spread like wildfire, and some people were hurt for no reason."

Netizens reacted to Shin Dong-yup's candid account, with comments like "Those were indeed the days," "How difficult that must have been for Kang Ho-dong," and "Rumors are bad now, but they must have been even worse back then," expressing empathy and regret for the past era.