An on-air assault by MC Ding Dong during a livestream has exposed the darker side of Korea’s so-called “Excel broadcasts,” a corner of internet streaming culture.
On March 7, during a “Excel broadcast” on Panda TV, MC Ding Dong grabbed a female BJ (streamer) by the hair and shook her, sparking outrage. Ding Dong’s side said his emotions flared when the BJ brought up his past DUI case. The woman later claimed, “It was a prearranged skit with a ‘bully’ concept, but the assault suddenly happened for real.”
The uproar wasn’t just about the violence. Multiple participants were on set, yet for nearly 30 seconds, no staff or cast member actively intervened. Some looked shocked but only shouted to “move the camera,” calling for the filming to stop.
After stepping off-camera, MC Ding Dong returned to the stage and apologized, saying, “They mentioned something from two years ago. I have trauma around that, and I got overwhelmed.” The stream didn’t end. As Ding Dong stood center stage in tears, a top donor sent about 1.1 million won, and the cast responded with a group salute on cue.
Viewers encountering “Excel broadcasts” for the first time called the whole scene “bizarre,” noting how the assault was treated like a brief hiccup before the show carried on as if nothing happened once donations rolled in.
“Excel broadcasts” are livestreams where multiple guests perform songs, dances, or risque content while competing for viewer donations. The name comes from publicly posting donation totals in an Excel-style chart and ranking participants. Korea’s National Tax Service has said it is looking into whether some of these broadcasts generate income through unethical methods.
After the incident, the Excel broadcast King the Land stated, “We apologize for the distress caused by the unfortunate event during our livestream. Due to the MC’s sudden actions, a participating BJ suffered physical harm. We immediately removed the MC from the program and suspended the channel.”
Despite this, backlash against the female victim continues. She is reportedly receiving psychiatric counseling for PTSD and panic symptoms and was diagnosed with injuries requiring two weeks of treatment. She recently pleaded online for people to stop spreading the unblurred video and photos, saying the malicious comments are causing severe distress.
In a streaming environment where extreme swearing and sexual remarks are often tolerated for views, the victim is facing secondary harm as some commenters claim she “deserved” the assault. Critics argue that the donation-driven, shock-first structure of Excel broadcasts fuels a violent atmosphere and encourages this kind of secondary victimization.
With views and donations deciding everything, debate is reigniting over where society should draw the line for internet streaming.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)