Actress Gong Hyo-jin Speaks Out as Jung Joon-won Faces Attitude Controversy

Actress Gong Hyo-jin is speaking up for her co-star Jung Joon-won after his recent appearance on MBC's variety show "Hangout with Yoo" (Nolmyeon Mwohani) drew criticism online. The actress shared a screenshot from the broadcast on her social media on the 4th, showing Jung Joon-won mid-shoot.

"This husband actually threw up after the recording," Gong Hyo-jin wrote alongside the image. "I couldn't save him. I'm sorry." The message appeared to be her way of explaining that Jung Joon-won had been struggling with severe nerves during the shoot.

Jung Joon-won appeared on the August 1 episode of "Hangout with Yoo" alongside Gong Hyo-jin to promote their MBC drama "A Bona Fide Killer" (Yubunyeo Killer). During a segment called the "One-Sentence Challenge," where guests express different emotions using a single line, he appeared visibly tense and struggled to get the words out.

Host Yoo Jae-suk gave him a second chance, but Jung Joon-won still could not begin. Watching from the side, comedian Haha reacted by throwing his hat. Once the clip spread online after the broadcast, opinion split. Some viewers called Jung Joon-won's response unprofessional. Others chalked it up to nerves.

As the backlash grew, Haha addressed the situation on his own social media on the 3rd. "On set, he was so lovable, cute and funny," he wrote. "He's not a professional variety personality, so I hope people can see him in a warmer light."

Actress Kim Hyun-sook also came to Jung Joon-won's defense. "He must have done his best in his own way, but people are not just criticizing him, they're attacking him," she wrote. "Let's all take a breath and live a little."