Public broadcasters must carefully select program participants to protect the interests of viewers and future generations.
As many people know, broadcasting traditionally follows a format where anchors primarily invite guests and lead the program. However, the era has now arrived where individuals who are not anchors, but possess specialized knowledge, are leading and hosting broadcasts under the banner of “experts.”
Comedians have transformed into ordinary broadcast entertainers who no longer rely on slapstick humor to make people laugh.
As the world becomes more diverse and multifaceted, I believe that this phenomenon represents a natural change.
However, what is concerning is the fact that while anyone *can* become a broadcast host, not everyone *should*.
It is a wrong practice for someone who distorts history with falsehoods for their own financial gain and popularity, and who deviates from a correct historical perspective, to give history lectures.
Furthermore, the fact that a public broadcaster, which is watched by all citizens, is featuring a person who is portrayed in a negative light indicates that the problem is very serious, even for that public broadcaster.
The person I am referring to is someone named Seol Min-seok.
This person majored in theater and film, not history. Nevertheless, they teach history. While they claim to make history engaging by leveraging their background in theater and film, they have received considerable criticism for altering facts arbitrarily during their lectures, ostensibly to increase audience engagement and create dramatic scenarios.
After that incident, there was a period of silence. Recently, she has been appearing on television broadcasts again. Why is she appearing now?
Is it because he believes he is presenting history accurately? Or is it that the controversial incident in question has ultimately been ruled as not problematic, leading to a correction of an error?
Seol Min-seok’s superficial understanding of history and oversimplification errors
Controversies over historical distortions in broadcasting
- Egyptology error: In December 2020, the tvN program “Seol Min-seok’s Naked World History” featured a segment on Cleopatra and presented numerous factual errors regarding maps and historical details. In response, Egyptology expert Kwak Min-soo, curator, publicly criticized the program, stating that “there were too many factual inaccuracies.”
- Distortion of musical history: Subsequently, experts pointed out that the content, including explanations of jazz and the history of music on personal YouTube channels and other platforms, also conveyed distorted information that was close to false.
- Defamation of National Leaders Case: In the past, during a lecture, the individual compared Taehwagwan, where 33 national leaders declared independence during the March 1st Movement, to a “hostess bar” and dismissed it as betrayal. As a result, in a lawsuit filed by the descendants seeking damages, the individual was partially found liable (the court recognized the illegal act).
Plagiarism in master’s theses and revocation of degrees
Plagiarism Admission: At the end of December 2020, allegations arose that a master’s thesis submitted to the Graduate School of Education at Yonsei University in 2010 plagiarized more than 50% of another work. Seol Min-seok admitted to negligence in citation and footnote notation and apologized. Revocation of Degree: Based on the investigation results from the graduate school, his master’s degree was ultimately revoked.
As you can see, he has no interest in academics. As anyone who has studied at the university level knows, a person who is interested in academics and study or research would never plagiarize a paper. They would write everything themselves.
This person is not interested in academic pursuits and is simply someone who obtained a degree through plagiarism, a relatively minor offense.
I don’t understand why they are using their expertise to play the role of distorting history, and why they are resorting to distorting the nation’s history on a public broadcaster that is watched by even children, all for the sake of making money.
Current developments related to her return to broadcasting
Although his degree was revoked due to plagiarism, and the facade of him being a “history expert” was shattered, he has since returned and is actively engaged.
- The nature of the return programs: As seen in MBC’s “Heartbeat,” which is scheduled to return on terrestrial television in 2024, and JTBC’s “Lecture Battle Show: Historians,” (as of 2026), the programs chose to be “lecture shows in the style of entertainment” rather than academic documentaries.
- As a “storyteller,” broadcasters expect him to bring viewers to their televisions. They believe that his star power and eloquence as a “showman” are still commercially viable, and they are bringing him back to the stage, rather than expecting him to demonstrate academic depth.
In other words, does this mean that if someone uses persuasive language that aligns with popular opinion, it doesn’t matter whether they are a good person or a fraud?
This kind of society is dangerous. Don’t you see how someone like Kim Gun-hee / Yoon Suk-yeol, who received so much criticism during the presidential election, has ended up being in the position they are in now?
A public broadcaster is a crucial institution related to the identity of a nation. Re-employing individuals who have deceived the public and betrayed history as broadcasters cannot be excused without suspicion of illicit collusion or doubts about the motives behind the hiring.
Is this to increase viewership? Then, how about producing a documentary that calls Yi Wan-yong a patriot? I would like to ask about that.
FAQ
Does Seol Min-seok major in history?
No. Seol Min-seok is a graduate of a department related to theater and film, and he is not a scholar specializing in history. He subsequently pursued a master’s degree in history education at a graduate school of education, but the master’s degree was revoked due to plagiarism in his thesis.
What was the controversy surrounding Seol Min-seok’s historical distortions?
Notably, in a world history lecture program broadcast in 2020, experts pointed out numerous factual errors in the explanations regarding the history of ancient Egypt and Cleopatra. Subsequently, criticisms continued, alleging that factual errors and excessive simplification were repeated in history and music history lectures.
How was the plagiarism case involving Seol Min-seok resolved?
In 2020, allegations of plagiarism were raised against the individual regarding their master’s thesis. Subsequently, the individual apologized for inadequate citations and source markings. Following an investigation by the university, the allegations of plagiarism were confirmed, and the master’s degree was ultimately revoked.
Is Seol Min-seok currently engaged in broadcasting activities?
Yes. After the controversy surrounding plagiarism in his academic papers and distortion of historical facts, he suspended his activities for a period. However, he subsequently resumed his broadcasting activities through entertainment-focused lecture programs and educational programs. Recently, he has primarily appeared in programs that focus on storytelling and public lectures rather than academic documentaries.
Why is accuracy important for history lecturers?
Historical lectures play a crucial role in conveying historical awareness to a wide audience, and therefore, they must possess not only engaging delivery but also accuracy based on facts and academic credibility.
In particular, public broadcasting and programs with an educational nature require a higher level of verification and accountability.
