Comedy show earns record ratings thanks to row with lawmaker

The popular stand-up comedy TV program "Gag Concert" on KBS2 has seen its highest ratings of more than 25 percent after poking fun of a lawsuit filed by Rep. Kang Yong-seok against the show's comedian Choi Hyo-jong.

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According to AGB Nielsen Media Research Monday, the program aired Sunday had a rating of 25.6 percent nationwide and 27.3 percent in the Seoul metropolitan area.

The program made a parody of the lawsuit in five sections. In the section "Thank you", comedians sang a song with the lyrics, "We're worried because the master show ended last week. But a lawmaker saved us. Thank you".

In a skit in which a man plants a bomb on stage and people need to be evacuated, comedian Kim Won-hyo said in the section "Emergency Committee", "Why must we evacuate? Isn't it because the culprit wants to be on air?"

Kim added, "(Unless we negotiate with him), he'll get pissed off and sue us. This is because he looks down on us. Yes, right, we're the people who caught him and made people laugh, not people who are looked down upon. Let him sue us!"

The audience burst into laughter.

Comedienne Hwang Hyeon-hee in the section "An Inconvenient Truth" said, "The top award for comedians is likely go to a lawmaker in Seoul's Mapo district who gave us the most laughs this year".

In the section "Wart's Kindergarten", which prompted Rep. Kang to sue Choi, the dialogue said, "Let's learn the English word 'taste'".

"Jang-geum (a character in a famous Korean drama), why does it tastes goso (nutty)?"

"I goso (sue) you because it's goso (nutty). What's the problem?"

"Then I'd be goso (nutty)".

When another comedian asked Choi, "Won't prices go down forever", he said, "Don't worry. All candidates will pledge to curb inflation in the run-up to the elections next year".

When asked in another section, "Should Choi continue his comedy of parodying current events", Choi said, "If the people want me not to, then I won't. But if a particular person wants me to stop it, then I won't stop", eliciting laughter from the audience.

Viewers had mixed responses, however. "Exmusic" wrote on the program's Web page, "I almost shed tears as I was touched by the comedians' unwavering spirit. This is the will of the people. Show us the power of 'Gag Concert'".

Others, however, called foul in criticizing one person in several selections of the program. A Web user dubbed "Oboyang" said, "The media has greater influence than a lawmaker's words. I know it's hard to stay neutral but given that a fourth of all Koreans watch the program, it should at least monitor itself".

Choi had also appeared on the KBS talk show "Seung Seung Jang Gu" Tuesday last week to criticize Kang.

The lawmaker sued the comedian for group contempt on Nov. 17 after Choi made a parody of lawmakers in the "Wart's Kindergarten" section. Choi said in the program, "If you want to become a lawmaker, be close to the ruling party leadership and bring 200 million won (173,390 US dollars) to the Central Election Commission", and "Go to a traditional market during your campaign and swallow a bowl of rice soup in one gulp".