South Korea's 'Nation's MC' Yoo Jae-suk (유재석) sparked widespread concern among fans last month when he abruptly canceled a variety show recording due to a cold, muscle aches, and a high fever. Known for his discipline and professionalism, Yoo typically works through illness. This marked the first time in his 35-year career that he canceled a recording due to personal health, which shocked many. Recently, Yoo personally recounted the situation, explaining that his primary concern was a potential COVID-19 or flu infection, coupled with the show's format requiring close contact with the general public, which led to his decision to halt filming.
On October 10, Yoo Jae-suk appeared in a new video titled “Reasoning Game is Just an Excuse | EP.121” on his YouTube channel “DdeunDdeun,” looking well as he shared recent updates. He revealed that after the sudden cancellation, he received numerous messages of concern from friends, family, and the public. Among them, comedian Song Eun-yi (송은이) specifically messaged him to ask about his health. While he initially replied simply, “I’m fine,” he admitted he was surprised by the sheer volume of concern, saying, “I was really taken aback.”
Recalling his condition on that day, Yoo Jae-suk stated that he usually tries to endure discomfort and work as usual. However, that morning, he experienced a particularly severe sore throat accompanied by a fever, which made him wonder, “Could it be COVID-19 or the flu?” He emphasized, however, that his condition was not so severe that he couldn't get out of bed.
Yoo Jae-suk further explained that the cancellation was not solely due to his discomfort but also a consideration of the filming format for his show, “Whenever There's Time” (틈만나면,). As the program requires visiting various locations and interacting face-to-face with the general public, he worried that if he had a contagious illness, it could affect others. Therefore, he decided to handle the situation cautiously.
He elaborated, “If it were just our members filming together, I could go to the hospital, feel a bit better, and then continue filming in the afternoon. But 'Whenever There's Time' requires interacting with the general public and moving around outdoors, so I wasn't confident I could complete the filming normally. I had no choice but to ask the production team for their understanding.”
Unexpectedly, the events that followed the cancellation exceeded his expectations. Yoo Jae-suk revealed that after visiting the hospital for treatment and an injection that day, his condition significantly improved by the afternoon. He chuckled, “I’m very grateful for everyone’s concern, but I was a bit flustered because I wasn’t actually that sick.”
He even disclosed that after feeling better, he proactively called the production team to ask, “Should we resume filming?” To his surprise, they informed him that all filming arrangements for that day had already been rescheduled and processed, making it impossible to resume filming on short notice, leaving him no choice but to give up.
Upon hearing this, Song Eun-yi couldn't help but joke about the public's reaction at the time, saying, “Right, it was just that level of sickness, but everyone reacted as if the nation’s mother had fallen ill!” Her remark drew laughter from the set, humorously highlighting the extent of public anxiety when Yoo Jae-suk's health was in question.
Yoo Jae-suk admitted that the reason this incident garnered such significant attention was likely because he had never canceled a recording due to illness in his 35-year career, leading to heightened concern. He concluded by apologizing to his worried fans and viewers, stating, “I apologize for unintentionally causing everyone to worry, perhaps making them think something major had happened.”
Yoo Jae-suk's personal explanation of the cancellation clarified that his decision was not simply due to feeling unwell but a cautious response to the show's need to interact with the general public. Even though his condition quickly improved, he prioritized the health of others, once again drawing attention to his professional and considerate nature.
