"Snowdrop," starring BLACKPINK Jisoo and Jung Hae In, faces another petition to cancel the drama right after airing its debut episode.
On December 18, fans get to see the characters of Im So Ho and Eun Young Ro, played by the "D.P" actor and the Kpop star, as they begin their love journey amid the chaotic time.
'Snowdrop' Petition Reaches the Blue House + Gains Over 200,000 Signatures
Although the drama premiere became a trending topic on social media, several viewers appear to be disappointed with the episode prompting them to submit a petition to the Blue House.
A day after "Snowdrop" episode 1 aired, an appeal titled "Petition to stop broadcasting drama Snowdrop" was filed, pointing out the historical distortion seen on the melodrama.
According to various media outlets, the petition, which gained over 200,000 signatures, states that "Snowdrop" is romanticizing and presenting the male lead character as a spy by posing as a pro-democratic, causing it to highlight a distortion of history and "damage to the pro-democracy movement's historical value."
"At that time, the production team had no intention of doing so and they claimed, 'The setting of the democratization movement which is led or participated by the male and female leads does not appear anywhere in the script'. However, in episode 1, which was aired recently, the female lead misunderstood the male lead as a spy and saved him," the petition reads.
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To recall, the late 1980s was a tough time for South Korea as many civilian and innocent people were tortured and killed by the government for being mistaken as a spy.
Moreover, the appeal also called out using the song "Sola Blue Sola," which became an iconic hymn during the "democratization movement" against the government.
Based on the petition, it highlights "the pain and victory of those who carry out the democratization movement."
It was the scene in "Snowdrop" where Im So Ho, played by Jung Hae In, was chased by Lee Kang Moo's character Lee Kang Moo, who is a member of the National Security Planning.
'Snowdrop' Loses Advertisers After Receiving Backlash
Due to the ongoing backlash, the advertisers in Jung Hae In and BLACKPINK Jisoo's Kdrama begin to pull out sponsorships.
According to reports, brands are starting to suspend or cancel their advertisement, including a tea brand, Teezan.
Following the episode 1 broadcast, the company posted an apology over their official social media accounts, stating, "We sincerely apologize for causing concern over the recent advertising sponsorship issue."
Moreover, Teezan also cleared that they "have not received any prior notice of the drama script or plot"; hence they have "not been able to review the sponsorship."
Other brands that reportedly withdrew their advertisements include Hans Electronics, a rice cake brand and a fashion brand.
Amid the height of the "Snowdrop" controversy, JTBC has not yet responded on this matter.
