SBS Responds to Past Assault Allegations Against 'My Perfect Secretary' Director

In light of recent revelations regarding past assault allegations against director 함준호 (Ham Jun-ho) of the SBS drama 'My Perfect Secretary' (나의 완벽한 비서), the network has issued an official statement.

An online post surfaced detailing an incident where PD 함준호 was reportedly involved in a public altercation in 한남동, Seoul, where he allegedly threw soju at passersby and engaged in a violent outburst, leading to his arrest. The report indicated that after dousing a pedestrian with soju, he resisted attempts by his companions to intervene and subsequently got into a fight with bystanders. Even after being taken into custody, he reportedly caused a scene at the police station, including making inappropriate remarks towards a female officer.

The report also revealed that 함준호 has a prior criminal record, shocking many netizens who learned of his history. Viewers expressed concern over how they could continue watching a romance drama produced by someone with such a background.

In response, SBS acknowledged the troubling news and clarified the facts. On January 13, the network stated, "We apologize for the distress caused by the negative news regarding PD 함준호. It is true that he faced charges of assault and insult due to intoxication in early 2020. However, he has sincerely apologized to all victims and has since reached forgiveness and settlement, resulting in legal consequences."

SBS further explained that the previous criminal record mentioned in the 2020 report was for a minor offense unrelated to the current incident. They confirmed that 함준호 was suspended from the company following the incident and took three years for reflection before returning to directing. They requested understanding from viewers during this time.

함준호 previously directed the drama 'Revenge is Back' (복수가 돌아왔다) in 2020 and made his comeback with 'Law School' (법쩐) last year. He is currently directing 'My Perfect Secretary,' which features a romance between CEO 지윤 (Han Ji-min) and his perfect secretary 은호 (Lee Jun-hyuk). The show has garnered impressive ratings, achieving 11.3% viewership in its fourth episode, maintaining its position as the top Friday-Saturday drama.

The controversy surrounding the director's past is raising questions about its potential impact on the show's viewership. 'My Perfect Secretary' airs every Friday at 10 PM and Saturday at 9:50 PM.