Kim Eo-jun Reported by Netizens for Violating Mask Rule and 5-Person Gathering Ban at Cafe

Meeting at a Cafe Near TBS Traffic Broadcasting on the 18th

Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun is seen having a conversation with the production team of TBS Radio's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory' at a cafe in Seoul. / Photo by Internet Community Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun was recently spotted at a cafe in Seoul not wearing a mask properly and violating the quarantine rule prohibiting gatherings of more than five people, leading to claims that someone reported him directly.

On the 19th, a post titled "Reported Kim Eo-jun for violating the gathering ban" was uploaded on an internet community along with photos. The photos posted by a netizen show Kim sitting at a cafe table, talking with acquaintances.

The issue is that Kim is wearing a so-called "mask on chin" in the photo.

Also, at the table where Kim is seated, three people are sitting on chairs, while the other two are standing and listening.

Previously, the government extended the social distancing level 2.5 and the ban on private gatherings of more than five people in the metropolitan area until the 31st. However, some quarantine rules were eased to allow eating and drinking for one hour at cafes until 9 p.m.

However, masks must be worn when not eating or drinking, and violators face fines of up to 100,000 KRW per person and up to 3 million KRW for the business operator.

The netizen explained, "The signboard of XXXX (cafe name) is visible in the photo, so I searched cafes around Sangam-dong where TBS Traffic Broadcasting is located one by one," adding, "I found a matching place with the signboard, glass ball lighting, and the diagonal stairs outside the cafe and reported it."

As the controversy grew, multiple media reports confirmed that those captured in the photo were the production staff of TBS radio show "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory," hosted by Kim.

Amid the growing controversy, TBS explained on Facebook that afternoon, "The gathering was a work meeting held by the News Factory production team immediately after the live broadcast ended that morning for broadcast monitoring and preparing the next day's show."

They added, "From now on, all TBS employees and hosts will be more thorough in adhering to social distancing and quarantine rules to prevent COVID-19."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.