It’s not always easy to determine what audiences will take issue with, as creators of a series are simply trying to bring their vision to life. That said, there are some themes orthought-provoking topics in K-dramasthat offend audiences. While violence, sexual content, and criticizing the government might be common in some countries' TV shows, that’s not usually the case for South Korean viewers.
Mr. Queen
Cast
Mr. Queen is a South Korean television series that tells the story of a modern-day chef, Jang Bong-hwan, who mysteriously travels back in time to the Joseon era and inhabits the body of Queen Cheorin, the wife of King Cheoljong. As the queen, he must navigate the complexities of royal life while trying to find a way to return to his own time.
Centering around a modern-day chef whose soul is moved into a queen from the Joseon era,Mr. Queenis an incredibly funny show with a sweet love story. Even beforeMr. Queenwas released, the series was already controversial in South Korea because Xian Chen, the author of the novel on which the K-drama is based, had made some negative comments about the country.
The controversy grew whenMr. Queenaired its first and second episodes, as it was criticized for historical inaccuracies and ridiculing Korean history and culture.One scene in particular, which depicted the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty being called tabloids, didn’t go down well with audiences. Another showed drinking games being played during an important royal ancestral ritual.
The Korea Communications Standards Commission received over 4,000 complaints from audienceswho were not happy with howMr. Queendistorted history. The commission ended up giving the creators of the K-drama administrative guidance, which is usually issued for breaking minor broadcasting rules.
The producers ofMr. Queenapologized for their wrongdoing and edited out the grievances viewers had withthe historical K-dramawhen it was rebroadcast (viaThe Korea Herald).
5Backstreet Rookies (2020)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Based on the webtoon,She’s Too Much for Me,Backstreet Rookiefocuses on a love story between Dae-hyun, a convenience store manager, and Jung Saet-byul, a young woman who begins to work for him.Even beforeBackstreet Rookieaired, it was clear that it would be a controversial K-dramabecause of the webtoon it’s based on, as it featured sexually explicit material.
The series came under fire for how it depicted women and the sexual scenes and nudity in the show.Backstreet Rookiereceived over 6,384 civil complaints, the highest number from that year. to understand the reasoning behind creating such a show, the Korea Communications Standards Commission sat down with the team behindBackstreet Rookie.
The KOSC heavily criticized the K-drama for its rating, which was 15+, despite the webtoon having a higher one of 19+. Due to the large number of complaints about the sexualization of underage females, those particular scenes were taken out from the replay of the VOD services (viaSoompi).
Snowdrop
Set in 1987 Seoul, this drama unfolds as a wounded man seeks refuge in a women’s university dormitory, aided by a student who once fell for him. As intense surveillance looms, secrets emerge, challenging loyalties and forging a path fraught with emotional and political tension.
Disney+’s first K-dramaunfortunately received a lot of heat from Korean audiences. Starring Blackpink’s Jisoo, the romantic K-drama’s storyline seemed like something a fan of forbidden love stories might enjoy. However, the opposite was true for the TV show.Snowdropis set in 1987 and follows a North Korean soldier who falls for a South Korean student after she tends to his injuries.
1987 was an important time in South Korean history as it marked the transition from the country being a dictatorship to a democracy. South Korea and North Korea have a fraught relationship spanning decades,so it’s not surprising that viewers felt like the Disney+ show was distorting historical facts and trivializing a monumental period.
After several complaints, only seven episodes ofSnowdropaired on JTBC. While the lawsuit that was filed against the broadcaster was thrown out,Snowdrop’s reputation couldn’t be saved (viaVariety).
The King: Eternal Monarch
The King: Eternal Monarch is a 2020 film featuring a Korean emperor, Lee Gon, striving to seal the portal to a parallel universe opened by malevolent forces. Alongside him, a detective is devoted to safeguarding her loved ones amidst the unfolding cosmic challenges.
Lee Min-ho’sThe King: Eternal Monarchis one of the most popular K-dramas with international viewers. However, it didn’t have the same level of reverence in South Korea, as audiences had several complaints about the show. Set in two universes — the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Korea —The King: Eternal Monarchhad stunning visuals and beautiful architecture.
Unfortunately,the fantasy K-dramawas under fire for the architecture it used, as it resembled that of Japanese temples. Further,The King: Eternal Monarchincluded Japanese flags on what were meant to be Korean warships. While this might not seem like a big deal for international audiences, it was highly controversial in South Korea.
The controversy stemmed from Korea and Japan’s history.Japan occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945, so it’s no wonder that some people took issue with this, as it reminded them of a difficult time. The design team forThe King: Eternal Monarchissued an apology for their mishap, and the remaining episodes of the K-drama’s third installment were corrected (viaSoompi).
Squid Game
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
Squid Gameis one of the biggest shows in the world that has entralled audiences with its story of adults competing in children’s games in order to win a large some of money.The Netflix original K-dramawasn’t shy about criticizing the capitalistic system that took advantage of the poor while making the rich richer, further leading to its allure.
While some might not bat an eye at the violence depicted in the survival K-drama, others were not happy about the bloodshed. However,it’s not the fact thatSquid Gamewas brutal that created a frenzy in South Korea. The thriller K-drama might offer important commentary on the socioeconomic system, but not everyone saw it that way.
For some,Squid Gamehit too close to home as it reminded them of their seemingly hopeless financial circumstances.Squid Gameis an entertaining watch, but it’s also an inherently dark K-drama that highlights a part of Korea that isn’t often featured in TV shows.
While that in itself is educational, it’s a double-edged sword as some people didn’t want to be reminded of what desperate situations can lead to (viaAP News).
1Joseon Exorcist (2021)
Genres: Historical Drama & Fantasy
Joseon Exorcisthad one of the most intriguing runs when it debuted. Starring Jang Dong-yoon, Park Sung-hoon, and Kam Woo-sung, the historical fantasy K-drama sees the royal family fighting against zombies who are intent on destroying their country. The premise of the show seemed innocent enough, but there were some glaring issues that audiences were quick to point out.
Although the series debuted to high ratings, it all went downhill from there. Themain criticism that the show received was its use of Chinese-style costumes and props. The K-drama couldn’t have been released at a worse time, as there was some tension between China and Korea. Audiences also weren’t pleased with how the show depicted King Taejong as a tyrant.
Joseon Exorcistwas initially meant to run for 16 episodes, but only two of those were released on SBS following the controversy.
Given the number of complaints issued over the K-drama,SBS, the channel thatJoseon Exorcistwas airing on, issued an apology and canceled the show. This meant that the broadcast channel incurred a loss as it had paid for the rights of the K-drama.Joseon Exorcistwas initially meant to run for 16 episodes, but only two of those were released on SBS following the controversy (viaKorea Times).
