Anachronistic production in the dramas has been under fire one after another. KBS and SBS showed explicit scenes of misogyny and commercialization of sexuality, while JTBC produced a scene of an assault from the assailant’s point of view.
In the 8th episode of JTBC’s The World of the Married stirred up a controversy by airing a scene where a mysterious man, ordered by Lee Tae Oh, broke in and assaulted Ji Sun Woo. The scene was presented from the assailant’s point of view as he showed extreme violence against her. Even if the scene is necessary for the story, it was too provocative. The drama’s official website has been bombarded with criticism for the scene, saying, “stop depicting violence or hatred against women” and “it’s totally misogyny and disgusting.”
KBS’s Once Again, which is just a step away from hitting 30% viewership, has been embroiled in a controversy over the commercialization of sexuality. In the 13th and 14th episodes, Kang Cho Yeon, Lee Ju Ri and Kim Ga Yeon quit their jobs at a bar and opened a kimbap (Korean-style sushi roll) store. However, later they were shown touting on the street and in the store, mostly for male customers, in revealing outfits. Since the scene was aired, controversy over the commercialization of sexuality has emerged, and the drama’s bulletin board flooded with criticism.
With the issue of sexual exploitation, such as Telegram Nth Room, has emerged as a social issue, the public is showing discomfort to see women being commercialized for men. To which, the production team said, “We regret that some scenes have caused discomfort for the viewers. We will make sure to be more careful in the future.”
SBS’s The King: Eternal Monarch was also engulfed in outdated misogyny portrayals. The overall setting of Goo Seo Ryung, the female prime minister of the Korean Empire, was problematic. Despite the fact that she is the first female prime minister, the prevailing opinion is that it is hard to understand her obsession over the emperor’s favor and her appearance. The drama was buried in negative comments regarding her lines, such as “Wireless bra don’t support my breasts properly.”
Also, the controversy over the usage of Japanese cherry blossoms in the Imperial Seal of the Korean Empire and images of buildings that are similar to Japanese temples depicted in the title video has erupted. In response, the production team issued an official statement apologizing about the matter and promising to revise them immediately.
