Psick Univ Changes Jang Won-young Thumbnail After Sexual Harassment Controversy: Not Intentional

On May 20th, “Psick Univ”changed the thumbnail of IVE Jang Won-young’s video, which had been uploaded on the channel on the 5th. They stated that their only intention was to highlight the guest in the original thumbnail and there was no other motive. The decision to change the thumbnail was made in order to protect the cast.

The thumbnail for the show received backlash as Jang Won-young’s images were placed over the show’s logo, which contained the word “PSICK.”However, the way the images were placed gave the impression of the slang word “FXXK,”leading to criticism from fans. Many accused the production team of deliberately covering the logo with her images to create this suggestive connotation, with some even calling it a form of sexual harassment.

The thumbnail sparked discomfort not only among Korean viewers, but also among overseas fans, who demanded that the production team replace it.

In contrast, the thumbnails for Jang Won-young’s episode of “Psik Show”do not follow the usual format of featuring the guests and MCs side by side with the show’s logo. This deviation from the norm is not present in the thumbnails for the other 96 episodes, which consistently display this format. Interestingly, in the episode featuring Hyun Woo-jin, which was released after Jang Won-young’s, the thumbnail layout reverted back to its original format.

Despite some netizens believing that it was a mere coincidence, others commented, “I don’t believe it was intentional”and “Jang Won-young’s agency would have taken action if it was intentional”.

Similarly, the YouTube channel “Psick Univ”has faced criticism before this incident. In a previous upload on the 11th, cast members Lee Yong-joo, Jung Jae-hyung, and Kim Min-soo were accused of making derogatory comments about specific professions and age groups. In response to the controversy, “Psick Univ”issued an apology on the 18th.