TVING's newest historical series, The Scandal of Chunhwa, is being intensely criticized by viewers and pundits for its explicit and—at times—nearly pornographic content and for whether or not it serves the story.
The 18+ drama centers on a princess seeking her true love. However, it is now said to contain excessive sex scenes that do little to advance the characters.
Following the success of The Queen Who Crowns, with its "excessively heated though narratively appropriate love scenes," however, TVING may have sought to repeat the trick with The Scandal of Chunhwa.
Nevertheless, the new series, according to KBiZoom, has sparked controversy as it appears that characters have no time to talk because they are always naked and engaging in sex.
Chunhwa was based on erotic paintings that date from the Joseon period, a topic that has raised both excitement and dread in advance of its release.
The drama's first episode boasted several explicit scenes featuring side characters, and nearly every episode since has contained at least one 18+ moment.
The more explicit content also hascritics, who say it doesn't help move the story along orhelp viewers understandf its main characters.
Viewers are angry at scenes like Prince Hwaseong getting with a courtesan and Princess Hwa Ri seeing two people copulating. It's reportedly forced and not organic to the story — or so a lot of people think.
Read more: Was Cha Joo Young's Nude Scene in 'The Queen Who Crowns' Edited or Real?
"They're weird and out of place," one viewer noted. "Look, it's like the production team is using bodies to get buzz," another said.
Yet, in the face of this criticism, the buzz around The Scandal of Chunhwa found no respite.
Go Ara plays the princess. She has received positive feedback for her performance and continues to show marked improvement since returning to acting after a break.
She looks elegant and appears suited to be a princess, but she is not enough to save the drama from being beaten.
The new series, The Scandal of Chunhwa, has not gotten as much buzz as the previous one, The Queen Who Crowns, with its legacy of social media debate trailing behind.
The phenomenon has not been covered by Korean media much since its launch, casting doubts about its ratings.
As the situation develops, a few fans are asking individual creators to focus less on sexual scenes and more on compelling storylines in future K-dramas.
One viewer commented, "The audience deserves more than just cheap shocks." It should really be, "We want stories that matter, not a trim reading of the Games."
As viewers pile on the pressure, we can only wait to see whether The Scandal of Chunhwa will halt or redouble its questionable course.
Read more: Cha Joo Young and Lee Yi Dam Reportedly Blindsided By Nude Scene in 'The Queen Who Crowns' Until Last Minute.
