Jo Se-ho returns to broadcasting via YouTube following organized crime allegations

Broadcaster Jo Se-ho has resumed activities through his reorganized YouTube channel after stepping down from "You Quiz on the Block" and "2 Days and 1 Night" following allegations of ties to organized crime last December. His first video on the channel, released on November 5, includes a renewed apology to those disappointed by the controversy.

Broadcaster Jo Se-ho, who had reduced his broadcasting activities due to allegations of ties to organized crime, has begun resuming activities through his YouTube channel.

According to media reports, as of 5:00 PM on November 8, Jo Se-ho's YouTube channel "How Can I Go If I Don't Know Them?" has recorded approximately 113,000 subscribers.

While the first video, "Confession of 45-year-old Jo Se-ho," is approaching 50,000 views, it appears that the channel did not newly gather over 110,000 subscribers in a short period after its opening. Instead, the channel was reorganized from an existing channel that already held approximately 112,000 subscribers; according to a YouTube channel analysis site, the subscriber count has increased by about 1,000.

The channel previously featured content such as "Seho Junggye," while the new content is inspired by Jo Se-ho's representative catchphrase "Pro-bulcham-ler" (Professional Non-participant). The format involves Jo Se-ho visiting locations where he is invited based on stories submitted by subscribers.

Jo Se-ho reorganized the channel and released the first video on the 5th. In the video, which is approximately 4 minutes and 11 seconds long, he stated, "I think 2026 was a meaningful year for me. I looked back on the time I have walked more than ever before. It was a meaningful year in which I reflected and strengthened my determination for the future," adding, "Above all, I also spent a lot of time with my family."

He further apologized again regarding the allegations of ties to organized crime that surfaced last December, saying, "I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to those who were disappointed and those who felt uncomfortable. Moving forward, above all, I will be a Jo Se-ho who looks around more responsibly regarding relationships and acts more cautiously."

Last December, Jo Se-ho was embroiled in allegations of maintaining ties with an individual identified as an organized crime member and receiving money or goods. At the time, Jo Se-ho's side denied the allegations, stating that the relationship with the individual was merely that of an acquaintance and that the allegations of receiving money or goods were not true.

However, as the controversy spread, he stepped down from tvN's "You Quiz on the Block" and KBS 2TV's "2 Days and 1 Night" for the reason of not wanting to cause discomfort to viewers.

Read the original (Korean)