In only 2 weeks, JTBC’s Snowdrop, starring Jung Hae In and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo will officially air its first episode. But Jung Hae In’s recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar magazine, his controversial answer regarding upcoming drama “Snowdrop” has caused him to face criticism.

Jung Hae In was asked if he studied or did some research on the events of 1987 – the time period Snowdrop is set in, to which he responded, “I was born in 1988. Therefore, I could not go through 1987 myself. There’s a lot of work using that timeframe as a backdrop, but I think the real answer will be in the script itself. Once I’ve read through the script thoroughly, I’ll be able to draw a picture of it in my head. What’s more important is that, through the drama, I can feel how amazing the props team and costumes team are.”

Jung Hae In’s somewhat superficial answer has caused him to encounter heavy criticism. Korean netizens claim that Jung Hae In saying he studied history through the script is hilarious and the fact that he did not study the background of the drama through actual history materials shows that he was not taking his role seriously.

Here are some comments from Korean netizens on Theqoo:

“This shows that his brain is empty”
“I have never left a comment on any posts related to Snowdrop, but his answer shocked me. How could he act in a work set in 1987 if he didn’t study its history”
“Jung Hae In is so dumb that everything he says sounds like nonsense”
“He wanted to sound smart but his answer is just so messed up”
“Are the props and costumes that important to you? The script should be the most important”
“Jisoo is carrying the entire drama at this point”
“Is Jung Hae In saying that we can find the answer in the script of a drama that is distorting history?”

Meanwhile, Snowdrop is a desperate love story set in Seoul in 1987 of Su Ho, a student from a prestigious university who suddenly appeared covered with blood in the women's dormitory, and Young Ro, a university student who hid and treated him in this crisis.

Snowdrop is scheduled to air every Saturday and Sunday starting from December 18 both on JTBC and Disney+.

Source[1]

A recent KBS drama shoot starring Girls' Generation's Seohyun and 2PM's Taecyeon has sparked controversy after accusations of damaging a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On January 2, architect Min Seo Hong took to Facebook to criticize the production of the upcoming drama I Took the Male Lead's First Night, which used Byeongsan Seowon, a historic Korean Confucian academy, as a filming location.

His post, titled "An Account of What I Witnessed at Byeongsan Seowon," detailed shocking allegations about the crew's actions.

Min shared that he visited Byeongsan Seowon on December 30, only to find the site bustling with drama staff.

"As I approached, I saw crew members moving around. At first, I didn’t realize it was a filming set, but when I entered the seowon, I felt uneasy knowing this historic site was being used this way," he wrote.

What he saw inside was alarming. According to Min, props were scattered throughout the seowon, and staff were hammering nails into wooden pillars to hang lights.

When he confronted them, they reportedly dismissed his concerns, saying, "We already have permission from Andong City. If you’re curious, contact them."

Determined to take action, Min contacted Andong City’s Cultural Heritage Department. A city official admitted they had approved the filming but appeared unaware of the damage being done.

"When I asked if they knew about the nails in the wooden pillars, they seemed flustered and promised to order their removal immediately," Min shared.

Experts later informed Min that incidents like this aren’t uncommon, with some modern heritage sites even being dismantled for filming. "People might think hammering nails is minor, but in traditional Korean houses, it’s a big deal to even drive in one nail. For cultural heritage, this should never happen," he said.

Min’s biggest concern is the decision to allow such a valuable site, designated as Historic Site No. 260 and a UNESCO World Heritage site, to be used for filming at all. "This was a KBS drama production, and it’s deplorable that they showed such little care for cultural heritage," he added.

The drama, I Took the Male Lead's First Night, is already drawing backlash before its release, with many netizens expressing anger over the alleged damage to the historic site. Comments online include:

"Why are cultural heritage sites being used as filming locations in the first place?"

"If this is true, KBS owes an apology not just to viewers but to the nation."

"Respect for cultural heritage should come before making a drama."

Neither KBS nor the drama's production team has released an official statement regarding the allegations.

However, the issue has sparked heated debate, with many calling for stricter regulations on the use of heritage sites for filming.

Source: [1]