Yoo Jae-suk Explains Same-Day Filming Cancellation After 35 Years

Yoo Jae-suk canceled a same-day shoot for Season 5 of SBS's "Whenever Possible" on September 22 because of a temporary high fever associated with a cold. Yoo Jae-suk is a television personality who debuted in 1991. The cancellation prompted concern about his health after roughly 35 years in broadcasting. His agency, Antenna, said at the time that he was focusing on recovery. It also said it had asked those involved for their understanding and was arranging a reshoot.

Yoo Jae-suk explained what happened in "Excuse Go's Mystery Game," released October 10 on the YouTube channel DdeunDdeun. Fellow guest Song Eun-yi said she texted him after hearing he was ill and received a reply saying he was fine. Yoo Jae-suk said he was not too ill to get out of bed, but his throat hurt and he had a slight fever. The sudden throat pain made him worry that he might have COVID-19 or the flu. He said he usually goes to shoots even when he feels unwell, but was unsure he could manage this one. The program required him to meet viewers and travel between locations.

Yoo said he felt much better by the afternoon after receiving an injection that morning. He called to ask whether filming could resume, but was told the group had already dispersed. He said the situation embarrassed him. He later said he did not have COVID-19 or the flu and apologized for causing concern. He also considered going out to exercise once he felt better, but stayed home after his wife, Na Kyung-eun, advised against it. He said she was concerned that people who had heard about the cancellation might wonder why he was out.

Yoo also addressed his condition in a preview for "Whenever Possible." He said some accounts made it sound as though he had collapsed, when he had a throat cold. His throat had become badly swollen, he said, and he worried about whether it was safe to have contact with others. The preview showed him meeting actors Shin Seung-ho and Chae Soo-bin again after the canceled shoot had caused them to turn back. In the preview, Yoo Jae-suk thanked Shin Seung-ho and Chae Soo-bin for making time to return and apologized to them. Shin said he initially thought the cancellation was a hidden-camera prank.

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Yoo Jae-suk Explains Canceled Taping and Apologizes on 'Teum Manamyeon'

Yoo Jae-suk returned to 'Teum Manamyeon,' explained the health symptoms behind a canceled taping and filmed with the reunited cast.

A back-view adult bows toward three seated adults at a wooden outdoor table. Pen holders and a small white eraser sit on the table, with a traditional gate and mountains in the sunlit background. — AI-generated image · Creator News — Editorial recreation based on the article, not a photograph of the actual people or event.

Comedian Yoo Jae-suk returned to the SBS variety show 'Teum Manamyeon' in its October 20 broadcast after a canceled taping. Yoo and Yoo Yeon-seok hosted, while Chae Soo-bin and Shin Seung-ho rejoined as guests after the earlier shoot was called off. The four met office workers and a gayageum academy director around Gwanghwamun in Seoul and played games with them.

Yoo canceled the September 22 taping on the day it was scheduled because of a temporary high fever. Yoo said his cold symptoms and severely swollen throat had raised concern about a possible COVID-19 infection. Yoo said his symptoms improved quickly after medical treatment and he contacted the production team, but the crew and cast had already left. He expressed embarrassment at the attention the cancellation received and said he was now feeling well. Shin said he initially thought the cancellation notice was part of a hidden-camera prank.

Yoo apologized to returning guests Chae Soo-bin and Shin Seung-ho and to the people taking part in the shoot, and thanked them for filming with the same group. He called the taping his “apology broadcast” and explained what had happened to people who had worried about him. Later, he offered to buy Chae and Shin items when they entered a gift shop, then looked flustered as Shin began choosing an accessory. While walking between locations, Yoo greeted passersby and spoke about liking the relaxed manner of an older man. Chae said her friends call her a “celebrity auntie.”

Their first stop was with employees at the Seoul Global Center. The cast played a game that involved flicking erasers at pen boxes, with National Museum of Korea merchandise offered as prizes. Chae hit a box on her third attempt, helping the group clear the first stage. Yoo then struck 2 boxes with one shot, and a hit by Shin helped them clear the second stage. They failed the third stage despite another chance to try.

The academy director they met next ran cultural classes for foreigners. She spoke about the difficulty of days without students and a period when the academy benefited from interest linked to BTS. The cast then bounced table-tennis balls off small hand drums toward a traditional hat. They cleared the first stage on their first try. A 10-second limit was added in the second stage, and Shin said the countdown startled him. He complained of leg pain during practice, though the group cleared that stage. On the final attempt, the ball reached the hat but bounced away, leaving them short of the third stage.

The broadcast recorded a 3.7% nationwide household rating and a 3.8% rating in the Seoul metropolitan area. It ranked first among variety and educational programs in its time slot for the 10th consecutive week. 'Teum Manamyeon' airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

Yoo Jae-suk Explains Same-Day Filming Cancellation After 35 Years

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Yoo Jae-suk Explains Canceled Taping and Apologizes on 'Teum Manamyeon'

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