[Newsmaker] Star lecturer Seol takes responsibility for misinformation

Star lecturer Seol Min-seok said he would take sole responsibility for the controversy surrounding misinformation during the second episode of popular tvN entertainment show “Seol Min-seok’s Naked World History.”

The apology posted on YouTube on Tuesday followed the announcement the producers made on the program website the previous day, apologizing for the misinformation in the second episode on Saturday.

Archaeologist Kwack Min-soo, one of the advisers for the program, pointed out Sunday several inaccuracies in the episode, including Seol’s map and information regarding the pharaoh responsible for the construction of the Library of Alexandria.

“Last night, the producers of ‘Naked World History’ apologized to the audience, but in my opinion, the producers are not at fault. The program is run under my name, so all the fault should be mine. The mistake happened because I fell short and was insufficient. I will take everyone’s words as a lesson and will become Seol Min-seok who prepares more diligently,“ said Seol.

“Naked World History” is hosted by Seol, who approaches world history in an entertaining way. Seol gained fame as one of the first internet lecturers in the early 2000s, specializing in Korean history.

After Saturday’s show, Kwack said facts need to be distinguished from historical rumors on his personal Facebook, leading to the apologies from the producers and Seol.

Meanwhile, “Seol Min-seok’s Naked World History” which airs Saturdays at 10:40 p.m. on tvN channel reached a high viewership rating of 5.9 percent for the controversial episode, according to market researcher Nielsen Korea.

By Lim Jang-won (ljw@heraldcorp.com)