Historical drama trend faces challenges: History distortion, animal abuse, design plagiarism
The historical drama trend in Korea faced challenges in 2023, leaving a sense of regret
While the popularity of historical dramas allowed for a proper understanding of history with entertainment, controversies over historical distortion and plagiarism stirred up trouble. The issues related to historical distortion that were prominent in 2021 resurfaced this year, emphasizing the need for caution overall.
Amid issues like the Northeast Project, there is an emphasis on promoting a correct historical perspective. The media’s significant influence makes it crucial for historical content to uphold accurate historical consciousness. Unfortunately, even major historical dramas have faced controversies, creating disappointment.
Looking back to 2021, dramas like “Mr. Queen”, “River Where the Moon Rises”, “Joseon Exorcist”, “Lovers of the Red Sky”, “Bossam: Steal the Fate” and “The Red Sleeve” marked the resurgence of historical dramas. Notable works like “Joseon Exorcist” faced backlash for featuring Chinese traditional elements, leading to accusations of historical distortion. Although the production team apologized and explained, the controversy escalated, leading to an unprecedented early cancellation of the series.
Despite the setback with “Joseon Exorcist”, the historical drama trend regained momentum through “Bossam: Steal the Fate”, “Lovers of the Red Sky” and reached its peak with “The Red Sleeve”, which achieved a record-breaking viewership of 17.4%. These dramas successfully avoided historical distortion controversies, receiving praise for the actors’ performances and meticulous historical accuracy.
In 2022, the historical drama trend faced a potential decline with controversies surrounding “The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won” due to animal abuse allegations. However, the drama resumed after addressing the issues.
In 2023, controversies again arose, particularly with “The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract”, which faced criticism for unauthorized use of designs from a modernized Hanbok company. The drama, which was enjoying a rise in ratings, had to navigate through the controversy.
As historical dramas continue to attract viewers globally, it is essential to avoid controversies that could lead to misunderstandings, especially in an era where global viewers have easy access to the content. The industry must exercise caution and be mindful of potential misunderstandings to maintain the positive impact of historical dramas.
Source: Daum
