SEOUL, November 11 (AJP) — “You Quiz on the Block” has a knack for getting people onto television who rarely have time for it. Presidents, Hollywood stars and business titans take a seat, loosen up and reveal the person behind the public image.
Sometimes, the interview ages beautifully. Sometimes, the internet keeps the receipts.
Now in its eighth year, the tvN talk show hosted by Yoo Jae-suk, one of South Korea’s most beloved television personalities, has accumulated an impressive guest list — and an unofficial list of appearances followed by rather less flattering headlines.
Korean internet users call it the “You Quiz jinx.”
The most dramatic example is former president Yoo Suk Yeol who appeared on the show in April 2022 as president-elect. His ill-fated martial-law declaration on December 3, 2024, led to impeachment and his removal from office by the Constitutional Court on April 4, 2025.
The latest supposed recruit is Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
Five months ago, the billionaire behind the artificial intelligence boom charmed viewers with stories about his first love, his devotion to his wife and his belief that character matters more than intelligence.
“The most important thing is humanity,” Huang said during his June 10 appearance, his first on an entertainment variety show.
It was an appealing message from a man whose chips help power machines that are getting smarter by the day.
Then came a less flattering glimpse of the human behind them.
On Sunday, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and apologized to his family and Nvidia employees. His admission followed reports linking him to Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed, whom U.S. intelligence officials reportedly suspect of gathering information for Beijing.
Nvidia’s board launched an independent investigation into reports that its chief executive had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. It said it had no reason to believe national security or company secrets had been compromised and expressed confidence in Huang and his leadership team.
Those questions remain under investigation. Online, however, an older piece of footage was already getting a second viewing.
“The You Quiz jinx is back,” Korean internet users quipped.
Huang’s appearance had supplied plenty of material for the first, warmer round of attention. He shared his college romance, expressed his admiration for singer Hwasa and danced to “Golden” from Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters.” For a moment, the leather-jacketed face of the AI revolution was simply another guest gamely joining the fun.
Other major flops go on.
Cha Eun-woo, the ASTRO singer and actor whose looks have made him one of Korea’s most sought-after advertising faces, appeared in May 2024. He spoke about his career and the loss of fellow group member Moonbin.
In January this year, reports of an additional tax assessment exceeding 20 billion won brought allegations of tax evasion and unwelcome scrutiny. Cha later apologized and paid about 13 billion won in additional taxes, but subsequently appealed the assessment. Payment did not mean he accepted the tax authorities’ reasoning.
Celebrity chef Lim Sung-geun had an even shorter journey from warm television reception to uncomfortable headlines. The veteran chef, whose profile rose through Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars,” appeared on “You Quiz” on Jan. 14. Four days later, he acknowledged three past drunk-driving offenses,
Even a seat on the hosting side offered no protection from the jinx narrative.
Longtime co-host Jo Se-ho stepped down in December 2025 amid allegations linking him to a suspected organized-crime figure. His agency denied involvement in illegal activities or receipt of improper gifts. Jo said he did not want the controversy to burden the program.
Volleyball twins Lee Jae-yeong and Lee Da-yeong faced school bullying allegations in 2021 after appearing on the show. They apologized, and producers removed their episode.
In 2020, the couple behind the luxury-car YouTube channel Cargirl faced accusations of exaggerating their wealth and misleading viewers about vehicle ownership. They later apologized and made their videos private.
The circumstances differ considerably. Some involve admissions, others disputed allegations. The internet’s jinx theory tends to file them all in the same folder.
What connects them is the awkward afterlife of an interview designed to make viewers feel they know someone.
A warm conversation offers a glimpse of a guest’s life. Audiences can be tempted to treat it as a character reference.
Korea is not alone in turning celebrity reversals into a recurring plot.
Hollywood has long entertained the idea of an “Oscar jinx,” linking Academy Award triumphs with marital breakdowns. Sandra Bullock won best actress for “The Blind Side” in 2010, only to see her marriage unravel after her husband’s infidelity became public. Reese Witherspoon, Halle Berry and Kate Winslet have also been folded into versions of the theory.
An award, a breakup and a memorable headline: once the pattern has a name, new examples seem to volunteer.
The much darker mythology surrounding “Glee” shows how far that habit can travel. The deaths of cast members Cory Monteith, Mark Salling and Naya Rivera under very different circumstances were bundled into a story of shared ill fortune. A 2023 documentary, “The Price of Glee,” drew criticism from former cast members for sensationalizing personal tragedies.
The differences between those events matter far more than their place on a list. Yet lists are easier to circulate than explanations.
“People tend to see patterns in random events and turn a few coincidences into a rule,” said Kwak Keum-joo, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University.
“People want to find meaning in random events, much like Murphy’s law,” she said. “It’s like tossing a coin and believing a certain outcome will bring good luck.”
Psychologists call the tendency to perceive a connection where none may exist an illusory correlation. Confirmation bias helps keep it going: once people believe in the jinx, each new controversy becomes supporting evidence.
The many guests who go on with their lives without scandal make less exciting posts.
There is another ingredient, too. Watching someone step down from a pedestal can be more absorbing than watching them sit comfortably on it.
Kwak said admiration for successful people can coexist with envy and social comparison.
“People admire successful figures, but they also compare themselves with them,” she said. “When someone who seemed untouchable falls, they may think, ‘Maybe I’m better off as I am. What’s the point of all that money if you’re morally flawed?’”
“It becomes a way to justify their own circumstances and gives them a sense of moral superiority,” she added.
The feeling has a name: schadenfreude, the German term for pleasure at another person’s misfortune.
Kwak believes Korea’s intense social comparisons can amplify such reactions.
“Unfortunately, in Korea, success can invite envy and criticism,” she said. “People may want to pull that person down.”
“You Quiz” brings admired people close enough to feel familiar. When their public image cracks, viewers have both the disappointment and the footage.
There is no evidence that appearing on the show brings bad luck. An interview cannot cause a future scandal, and a string of selected examples does not establish a pattern.
But television preserves a polished moment long after life has complicated it.
Huang’s reflections on love and character once made for heartwarming viewing. They now invite a more uncomfortable replay.
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