Actor Lee Dong-gun joined JTBC’s variety program Divorce Camp as a new family investigator on July 30, 2026, facing immediate marital turmoil among participants as the episode recorded a 2.7% viewership rating amidst earlier casting controversies involving departing cast member Jin Tae-hyun.
When Lee Dong-gun stepped onto the set of JTBC’s Divorce Camp as a new family investigator, he walked into a cultural maelstrom. The 29-year veteran actor and doting father, known in industry circles by Yeon Ye-gye (CEO), took over the seat previously held by Jin Tae-hyun. Yet the transition was anything but quiet.
Casting Controversy and Jin Tae-hyun’s Departure
Lee’s arrival followed a turbulent transition period. Jin Tae-hyun had earned high praise from viewers for genuinely empathizing with participating couples and offering stern advice when needed, alongside his widely recognized affection for his wife, actress Park Si-eun. However, the production team faced severe backlash when Jin was removed from the lineup while existing hosts Seo Jang-hoon and Park Ha-sun remained on the show.
The controversy deepened when Jin revealed how he learned about his exit from the program.
“I was informed of the decision to leave the show through my manager from the production team.”
Jin Tae-hyun, via Chosun
Despite the lack of direct communication and the absence of a final farewell message—noted only through on-screen subtitles—Jin publicly defended the staff and asked the public not to blame them, stating he had no personal regrets or disappointments.
Lee Dong-gun’s Personal History and Hesitation
Lee brought his own complex personal history to the investigator role. He married actress Jo Yoon-hee in 2017, welcomed a daughter, and subsequently announced his divorce in 2020. This background sparked sharp divisions among viewers prior to his debut, with critics questioning whether someone with a dissolved marriage had the right to give advice.
Addressing these concerns directly, Lee admitted he experienced significant hesitation before accepting the position.
“I initially watched it for fun, but I gradually grew fond of the participants. It’s not easy to reveal one’s flaws on air and try to protect one’s family and marriage. I felt respect because it’s such a difficult decision.”
Lee Dong-gun, via Chosun
He added that his own hardships gave him the courage to step forward. Since it is a program I like and enjoy watching, I was pleasantly surprised, but I had great concerns about whether I had the qualifications to offer criticism or advice to those experiencing a divorce crisis from the position of someone who has shared the same pain, and how that might be perceived
, Lee confessed.
Extreme Marital Conflict Shocks the Studio
Any lingering debate over the new investigator quickly took a backseat to the harrowing reality of the first couple featured in the 23rd season. The pair arrived on the brink of ending a 12-year relationship, unveiling an extreme addiction profile.
The husband had accumulated a massive hoarding addiction centered on collectible character cards—after earning nearly 100 million Korean won through them in the 2000s—and had changed cars seven times in a single year prior to marriage. More severely, he took out loans in his mother-in-law’s name and eventually laid hands on his child’s first birthday ring.
The domestic environment proved equally brutal. In video footage released by the production team, the wife subjected her husband to severe verbal abuse and physical violence. Starnewskorea.com reported that the wife spewed chilling remarks, telling him to Sell even your organs
and Get some insurance
while resorting to unhesitating physical violence.
The intensity of the disclosures overwhelmed the panel. Even investigator Seo Jang-hoon reached his absolute limit during the bottom-of-the-barrel exposure battle, exploding with frustration and telling the couple to Just get divorced.
Viewership and Public Sentiment Shift
Following the broadcast, public reaction toward Lee’s casting underwent a rapid pivot. Viewers focused their shock entirely on the severity of the participants’ conflicts rather than the investigator’s personal background, with netizens writing that Lee Dong-gun was not even visible against the backdrop of the couple’s intense struggles.
The episode’s ratings reflected the high engagement. Nielsen Korea data, based on national paid broadcasting households, recorded a 2.7% viewership rating, marking a 0.4 percentage point increase from the July 23 broadcast’s 2.3% figure.
The broader cultural reception highlights a growing entertainment trend in which public figures openly accept and share personal wounds as part of growth rather than hiding them. As divorce and family breakdown transition from strictly private stigmas into subjects of social empathy and reflection, Lee’s presence on the screen signals a shift toward experiential understanding over traditional, authoritative counseling.
Keep reading
