President Yoon Suk-yeol, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election by just 0.73%, linked a series of damaging allegations against him to a program that aired on SBS. He expressed that the allegations of his connection to organized crime played a significant role in shaping public opinion against him during his campaign, especially when combined with ongoing controversies over development projects. Many, including officials from his team, believe that the portrayal of these allegations as fact contributed to the unfavorable election outcome.

The program, ‘That’s What I Want’, aired an episode in 2018 that included allegations regarding Yoon's past connections with organized crime figures, raising questions about his integrity as a leader. During the segment, the show's host recalled being shocked to find Yoon, once seen as a champion of the underprivileged, on the same list as alleged crime figures. This line of inquiry intensified as the election approached, arguably impacting voters' perceptions significantly. Yoon has maintained that he was unaware of the criminal background of individuals he had dealings with during his career.

In response to Yoon's recent comments demanding an apology from the program, reactions from the Blue House indicated that such an uproar was expected given the nature of the allegations and the potency of the perceptions they created. The persistence of the ‘gangster connection’ theory has not only marred Yoon’s political career; it reflects broader issues of media responsibility and the effects of public narratives on political outcomes in South Korea.