The MBC drama When the Phone Rings, starring Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin, has come under fire for its portrayal of sign language, which critics have deemed insensitive and mocking.
In the first episode, aired on November 22nd, the sign language interpreter Hong Hee Joo (Chae Soo Bin) is shown translating a news broadcast about a landslide. During the segment, the sign for “mountain” is repeatedly displayed. Anchor Na Yoo Ri (Jang Gyu Ri), comments that the gesture resembles a “middle finger” gesture, saying, “This is ‘mountain,’ right? Well done, you nailed it.” The scene then shows Hee Joo later using the same gesture as an insult after seeing her husband, Baek Sa Eon (Yoo Yeon Seok), on television.
Following the broadcast, viewers flooded the drama’s message board with complaints, accusing the show of ridiculing sign language and the Deaf community.
One commenter wrote, “There’s a scene where the hand gestures of a sign language interpreter are made to look like profanity. It’s not right for hearing people to demean and mock sign language, a vital means of communication for the Deaf.”
Chung-Ang University’s sign language club also issued a statement condemning the portrayal. “The sign for ‘mountain’ differs from the obscene gesture in form, but it has long been trivialized and turned into a joke by hearing individuals. For the Deaf community, this sign has become a source of trauma due to its repeated misuse and mockery.”
On the 29th, the production team posted an apology, acknowledging the criticism. “We deeply accept the feedback that the inappropriate handling of sign language resulted in mockery of the Deaf community and Korean Sign Language. We will make every effort to ensure this mistake is not repeated.”
They continued, “‘When the Phone Rings’ was designed around the theme of ‘communication.’ There was no intention to ridicule or mock sign language, a precious tool for the Deaf community. However, we humbly admit our shortcomings in reflecting the challenges faced by the Deaf and sign language.”
Meanwhile, When the Phone Rings has continued to draw viewers. By its fourth episode, aired on November 30th, the drama recorded nationwide ratings of 5.7% and 6% in the Seoul metropolitan area, according to Nielsen Korea.
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