Kim Jong Kook’s Controversy Results in Low Rating for ‘Running Man’?

"Running Man" star Kim Jong Kook recently went under fire for his comments regarding women. In one episode of "Running Man" that aired on April 30, Kim Jong Kook described the qualities of a woman that he finds most appealing. When SISTAR's Hyorin asked him about his preference, he said that most men would love to date short women than taller ones. Kim Jong Kook added that he doesn't see tall women as very women-like.

After the episode, thousands of people reacted negatively towards what Kim Jong Kook said. Most of them noted that the actor's comments are very offensive. Others also said that he deliberately discriminated women.

Meanwhile, after Kim Jong Kook's controversy came to light on television and social media, the ratings for "Running Man" dropped tremendously. In March, the creators and producers of the show decided to include Yang Se Chan and Jun So Min, but this didn't help improve the ratings. April's viewership turnout also happened to be the lowest recorded ratings for "Running Man" since it premiered in 2010. There are rumors that the ratings dropped because of what Kim Jong Kook said. 

According to KPopStarz, former fans of "Running Man" have noticed how the show has changed for the worse throughout the years. What was once a fun and exciting show, turned out to be boring especially since it felt like it was just stretched for another year. In 2016, there were already rumors suggesting that "Running Man" would be axed, but this didn't push through.

As of late, Kim Jong Kook has not yet issued an apology to his fans and supporters. The actor has also stayed silent on social media. Luckily, some people still sided with him and acknowledged the fact that he was simply stating his personal thoughts and preferences about the women he would date and not all women in general.