‘Snowdrop’ Comes Heavily Under Fire With More Controversies Arising

It seems like there’s no way out for beleaguered Snowdrop, which got engulfed in controversy over historical distortion. The petition demanding the show’s cancellation has already garnered more than 200,000 signatures in just one day.

On the 19th, the petition to cancel Snowdrop posted on the Blue House website has collected about 250,000 signatures as of the 20th at 10 AM KST. This is way above the requirement – more than 200,000 signatures over 30 days – needed for the government to give an official answer.

The petitioner wrote, “In episode one of Snowdrop, the heroine rescued the hero, who is actually a North Korean spy, thinking that he’s a protester. The victims of those unjustly framed for being spies during the democratization movement still exist. I can’t understand why they used such a setting.”

Additionally, “Sora, Green Sora,” the song inserted as the background music when the agents were pursuing the male lead, is a song that symbolizes the democratization movement. The petitioner also pointed out that the intended use of the song was questionable.

They stated, “Korea’s democracy was won through the suffering and sacrifice of an innocent majority. And the drama that undermines the value of the democratization movement airing only after 30 years should be canceled. Also, at this point in time when the influence of Korean culture is gradually increasing, the broadcasting industry should really reconsider the seriousness of historical distortion.”

Controversy over historical distortions in Snowdrop surfaced even before the premiere when parts of the synopsis got leaked in April. In response, JTBC tried to resolve the issue by stating that all claims are “groundless” and releasing the drama settings. Director Jo Hyun Tak also stressed his thoughts on the matter during the press conference.

Yet, the criticisms about the historical distortion only grew more severe after the premiere. Many of the settings were exactly as people expected, and more and more people are demanding the cancellation of the show.

Moreover, people started sharing a list of Snowdrop sponsors online. As many expressed their intention to boycott the products of the companies on the list, quite a few of them announced their decision to cancel their sponsorship in a hurry. Of course, a lot of people have flocked to Disney Plus Korea, which provides exclusive service for Snowdrop, with complaints.

This is not the only trouble Snowdrop is facing. Actors are also coming heavily under fire. First, Jisoo‘s awkward performance is receiving criticism. Viewers claim that her acting was no match to that of Jung Hae In, and even compared to other actresses playing her roommates, she stood out in a bad way, hindering the immersion.

As for Jung Hae In, his interview with Harper’s Bazaar has come to the fore. To the question that asked him if he had studied the historical background in 1987, the actor replied, “I was born in 1988. I’ve never experienced 1987.” He then added that all the answers are in the scripts, which the viewers started taking issues with.

Meanwhile, JTBC turned all the posts on Snowdrop‘s official website to private. The network has even closed the page where viewers can chat about the drama on NAVER.

 

Source (1, 2, 3)