A Publisher Shunned by the Japanese Manga Industry Over Child Sex Offenses Prominently Featured on Korean Terrestrial TV

Controversial Publisher Linked to Child Sexual Offense Exposed on Air
"Detective Conan" Poster Associated with Rising Sun Flag Controversy Also Featured
"I Live Alone" Faces Ongoing Backlash

MBC's entertainment program "I Live Alone" is facing continued criticism after it featured a controversial Japanese publishing company on the show, and it was later revealed that the program also displayed the poster of an animated film whose domestic release was canceled due to controversy over the Rising Sun Flag (war criminal flag).

The episode of "I Live Alone" that aired on March 13 showed webtoon artist Kian84 traveling to Japan to meet his idol, Junji Ito, the master of Japanese horror manga.

The publishing company that serialized the works of a cartoonist with a history of child sexual offenses was exposed on MBC's "I Live Alone," causing controversy. Photo by MBC "I Live Alone" broadcast screen capture

Kian84, accompanied by broadcaster Kangnam, visited Shogakukan, the publisher where Junji Ito works, and met the artist in person. The show introduced Shogakukan as Japan's leading manga publisher, known for producing works such as "Doraemon," "Inuyasha," and "Detective Conan," and explained that Junji Ito's representative works "Uzumaki" and "Gyo" were published there.

However, after the broadcast, criticism arose online regarding the production team's judgment. This is because it was recently revealed that Shogakukan had allowed a cartoonist with a history of child sexual offenses to resume work under a pseudonym, sparking controversy in Japan. The incident was reported by Japanese media, and some cartoonists have announced they will cease collaborating with Shogakukan, leading to backlash within the industry.

As the controversy spread, it was reported that the production team deleted the scenes introducing Shogakukan from the video-on-demand (VOD) replay service. However, no official statement has been made yet.

Poster of the animation "Detective Conan: The Scarlet Alibi," which became involved in controversy over cooperation with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Rising Sun Flag (war criminal flag). Screen capture from MBC’s "I Live Alone".

In addition, images used in the broadcast have also come under fire. The issue centers on the poster of the animated film "Detective Conan: The Scarlet Alibi," which appeared during the introduction of Shogakukan. This film was not released in Korea due to controversy over its cooperation with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the depiction of the Rising Sun Flag (war criminal flag).

Some viewers have criticized the production team, saying, "It was already problematic to present the controversial publishing company in a positive light, but using the poster of a film involved in the Rising Sun Flag controversy is even more difficult to understand," calling the production team's direction careless.

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