Shin Dong-yup Reveals Past Assault by Senior Comedian

Shin Dong-yup (신동엽), a 54-year-old television personality and former comedian, has recently opened up about a troubling incident from his early career. During an appearance on the YouTube channel ‘Donghaemul-gwa Baekdu-eunhyeok’ on January 6, he shared that he was physically assaulted by a senior comedian when he was a rookie.

Shin explained that the comedy industry had very strict hierarchies at the time, with a strong emphasis on seniority. He recalled, 'In the past, the rules in the comedy scene were very rigid. There were people who were particularly obsessed with the senior-junior relationships.' He described how comedians typically start with minor roles and gradually earn their own segments based on their talent. However, during his rookie days, he was unexpectedly given a short segment, which he likened to a low-level employee suddenly receiving a significant promotion.

This change seemed to upset some of his older colleagues, leading one of them to confront him while intoxicated. 'He said to me, 'You little punk, you have no popularity. Who do you think you are to act so cocky?' Shin recounted. He attempted to defend himself, but the senior comedian struck him multiple times. 'I remember going to the bathroom to wash up and crying alone,' he revealed.

When asked if the senior comedian is still active in the industry, Shin confirmed, 'He is not active anymore.'

Shin Dong-yup made his debut as a comedian in 1991 through SBS and continues to be a prominent figure in various entertainment programs, including SBS’s ‘Animal Farm’ (동물농장), ‘My Little Old Boy’ (미운 우리 새끼), and MBN’s ‘King of Mask Singer 2’ (현역가왕2).