"Infinity Challenge" Put Under Supervision Following Coverage of Korea's "Unrealistic" MERS Prevention Guidelines

“Infinity Challenge” has been placed under the supervision of the Korea Communications Standards Commission due to its coverage of MERS during the “Infinity News” segment of the June 13 episode of the show.

During the news segment, Yoo Jae Suk did a review of the MERS prevention methods put forward by Korean health authorities. Yoo Jae Suk states the first prevention method: “Avoid contact with camels, goats, and bats, and refrain from eating camel meat or drinking camel milk.” At this, Park Myung Soo rages, “Where would I see a camel? Say something that’s relatable! Where would I need to avoid a camel? Where would I see a bat?”

Yoo Jae Suk carries on though, after Park Myung Soo’s rant, continuing to detail good diet habits for a better immune system, proper hand-washing techniques, etc. Park Myung Soo says, “That’s the kind of stuff we want to hear.”

Following this broadcast, the Korea Communications Standards Commission, upon review, decided that because “Infinity Challenge” did not say that the Middle East is the region where camels and bats are to be avoided, they “fostered misunderstandings in viewers regarding Korean goat farms, etc.,” and would require administrative guidance. The prevention methods outlined by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that the animals should be avoided during any vacation to the Middle East region.

“Infinity Challenge” followed up with an apology of sorts: “We are reflecting on our actions, speaking about goats without specifying the relevant region and negatively affecting goat farms in Korea. We just wanted to point out how unrealistic the guidelines were.”

KBS “Gag Concert” was also put under the same conditions on June 24, following its parody of the Korean government’s handling of the MERS situation.

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