Viewers raise concerns over “Beyond Your Touch” setting, “Han Ji Min touches others’ butts? Isn’t it sexual harassment?”

Amid negative public responses, will “Beyond Your Touch” be able to convince viewers and continue “King the Land” success?

JTBC’s “Beyond Your Touch” is a comedy weekend drama that tells about Bong Ye Bun (Han Ji Min), a sincere veterinarian who accidentally gains psychometric power to see the past of animals and humans, and Moon Jang Yeol (Lee Min Ki), an elite detective who desperately needs Ye Bun’s superpower to return to Gwangsu University in Seoul, solving a serial murder case in the crime-free village Mujin together. 

In particular, Bong Ye Bun’s psychometric power allows her to see the past of a person by touching their butt. The drama trailer also showed Han Ji Min touching Lee Min Ki’s butt in various ways. Therefore, some viewers raised concerns over the setting and poured criticism toward the drama even before its official broadcast

Intentionally touching body parts without the consent of others can be considered a crime. Even if it is used to solve cases in the drama, some viewers may judge it as sexual harassment and criticize the setting for using psychometry power, an innocent female character, and the comedy material as a shield. In this regard, director Kim Seok Yoon gave an explanation at “Beyond Your Touch” press conference, saying “The context is very important. If you watch the official broadcast, your concerns will be resolved”.

Amid such controversy, the long-awaited first episode of “Beyond Your Touch” was finally unveiled on August 12th. From the beginning of the drama, Bong Ye Bun was already seen touching the butt of a pickpocket several times to read his memory and got caught at the scene by Moon Jang Yeol. When Moon Jang Yeol showed the evidence video to prove that she touched the pickpocket’s butt, Bong Ye Bun admitted, “You have a reason to arrest me”, then explained, “Actually, I have a supernatural power”. Later, Bong Ye Bun accidentally read Moon Jang Yeol’s memory while helping him in a dangerous situation but Moon Jang Yeol misunderstood that Bong Ye Bun was a pervert. In episode 2, Moon Jang Yeol warned Kim Sun Woo (Suho), “Be careful with your butt”, when being around Bong Ye Bun.

After the broadcast of the first two episodes, viewers’ reactions were divided. Pointing out that the characters are aware that touching others’ butts can be considered a crime, some viewers said they understood the context and enjoyed the drama. However, many continued to argue they still found the development of “solving cases by touching others’ butts” problematic. 

Attention is focused on whether “Beyond Your Touch” will be able to convince viewers and solve all their worries in the next episodes. 

Source: Daum