Hallyu delivered a ton of show-stopping K-dramas from rom-com, thriller, and fantasy genres over the past few years. It soared viewership ratings and massive hype globally.
Unfortunately, despite the popularity, some shows faced criticisms from viewers due to details in the storyline, cast lineup, and even product placement.
These blunders drew major flak from the public that it almost got canceled. Curious to know if your favorite series encountered a stir? Here are the four recent most controversial K-dramas that got entangled in an issue.
The King of Tears, Lee Bang-Won
Premiered in December 2021, the historical K-drama "The King of Tears, Lee Bang-Won" drew backlash after the behind-the-scenes footage went viral.
The video shared by the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA) showed an incident involving a horse on set.
The animal, which was used for a stunt, head dived and landed on its neck while the actor rode its back.
KAWA then revealed that the horse was injured and eventually died after a week of the stunt.
After the post went viral, the public demanded that the show must be canceled. It even came to a point where a petition signed by thousands of people was submitted to the Blue House or the executive office and official residence of the Republic of Korea's head of state to halt the program.
IN CASE YOU MISSED: 'The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won' Resumes Broadcast + Set New Production Guidelines Following Animal Abuse Controversy
Immediately after the incident caused a stir, KBS released a statement saying they "feel deeply responsible and apologize for the accident during filming."
The historical K-drama goes on a two-week hiatus following the animal abuse controversy despite their apology.
Fortunately, "The King of Tears, Lee Bang-Won" bounced back. It is now on its 25th episode airing on April 9.
'Snowdrop'
One of the most anticipated K-dramas in 2021 is "Snowdrop." Its release date was delayed for months after sparking controversy.
The JTBC melodrama, which stars Jung Hae In and BLACKPINK Jisoo, faced criticisms after the leaked synopsis circulated on the iternet.
At the time, the public raised concerns about "Snowdrop's" distorted portrayal of South Korean history. It was accused of glamorizing and romanticizing the feud between North Korea.
Based on the leaked storyline, the character includes a male spy while the other works for the Agency for National Security Planning (NSP).
Amid the public's criticism regarding suspicions of historical distortion, JTBC clapped back and pointed out that "'Snowdrop' is a creative work that shows the personal stories of individuals who were used and victimized by those in power."
In addition, the broadcast network cleared that "there is no spy who leads the democratization movement" featured in the Kdrama. They added that the "male and female leads were not shown as participating in or leading the democratization movement."
Luckily, the Jung Hae In and BLACKPINK Jisoo led series successfully premiered on December 18 and officially wrapped up on January 30 with soaring ratings.
The Penthouse
While the two other seasons received overwhelming praise from the viewers, "The Penthouse 3" drew flak after Park Eun Seok's second character Alex Lee sported face tattoos, dreadlocks, and golden teeth grills while speaking an African American accent.
Due to this, the public accused the makjang series of cultural appropriation and called it out for being racist.
The production team responded to the issue and changed the character's appearance. In addition, Park Eun Suk also issued an apology over his TikTok account. He said that he did not mean to "harm, mock, disrespect or discourage the African-American community."
'Jirisan'
From historical distortion to cultural appropriation, another K-drama that received a backlash is the thriller mystery series "Jirisan."
While the K-drama gained the fans' attention due to its star-studded cast lineup and high budgeted production, some viewers were displeased with the numerous advertisements seen on the show.
Throughout the program, the cast, especially Jun Ji Hyun, sported outfits from the clothing brand Nepa. Over social media, fans expressed their disappointment noting that the show looked more like a commercial than a K-drama.
Apart from the clothing brand, sandwich franchise Eggdrop was also featured. Viewers pointed out that it was unrealistic and looked unnatural that a food company appeared in the middle of the mountain wilderness.
