Lead actors’ school violence, drug and moral controversies “Is there any measure from the broadcasting industry?”

A recent case is “History of Losers”. “History of Losers”, which webtoon artist Kim Poong personally took charge of the scriptwriting after a serialization period of 3 years and 4 months, was produced into a drama. However, the broadcast of the drama became uncertain due to allegations of school violence against the lead actors.

Such situations pose dilemmas across the industry. Recently, when allegations of school violence arose against the lead actors of SBS’s drama “Taxi Driver 2” and KBS’s drama “River Where the Moon Rises”, the production teams responded by replacing the actors and reshooting. However, in the current situation where pre-production has become commonplace, such measures are practically impossible.

OTT platforms have a different approach to this issue. Netflix plans to proceed with the release of “Goodbye Earth” featuring Yoo Ah-in, who is currently facing trial for habitual abuse of medical drugs. Similarly, in “Bloodhounds”, Kim Se-ron, who was convicted of drunk driving, was retained as an essential character.

This situation has led to different response strategies between broadcasting companies and OTT platforms. While broadcasting companies must consider public sentiment and social responsibility, OTT platforms can adopt more flexible responses.

Ultimately, such incidents emphasize the nature of collaborative creative works involving hundreds of staff and actors.

The collapse of an entire work due to one individual’s mistake is a significant loss, and finding alternative solutions to avoid it is inevitable. Public culture critics mentioned “Finding alternative solutions to prevent the destruction of works is a painful task for the industry“, suggesting that this issue will continue in the future.

The topic remains of how production companies and broadcasting companies can set up contingency plans for risk management.

One of the most crucial parts is careful casting. Thoroughly researching actors’ past actions and reputations from the early stages of production to identify and manage risk factors in advance is essential.

This should be accompanied by strengthened contractual clauses. Contracts should include provisions specifying actions to be taken in the event of ethical or legal issues, providing legal grounds for terminating contracts or taking action in case of controversy.

Furthermore, the importance of behind-the-scenes personnel, who silently carry the weight of a production as much as the actors, should be explicitly stated as a critical responsibility factor.

Additionally, specialized professionals in image management and PR strategy should formulate strategies for actors’ public image management and PR, preparing to respond quickly and effectively in case of problems. This helps prevent controversy in advance and minimizes damage in case of occurrence.

In line with the advancement pace of the entertainment industry, preparations for alternative casting should also be made thoroughly. Preparing alternative casts for major roles in advance and establishing plans for swift replacement when necessary can ensure the progress of a production in unavoidable circumstances and minimize production delays.

Operating a risk management team that boldly departs from entrenched patterns is also crucial. Operating a professional risk management team to monitor the actions of actors and production teams, detect risk factors in advance and respond accordingly is necessary.

These preventive measures can help production companies and broadcasting companies effectively manage risks and minimize damage from unforeseen events.