'Fate War 49' is facing legal action from the Korean National Police Agency for using the insulting term "kalbbang" toward a fallen police officer. Following the desecration controversy over a fallen firefighter, successive controversies over disrespecting the deceased have fueled criticism.
Public sentiment toward the Disney+ original variety show 'Fate War' has continued to boil. 'Fate War 49' is a variety show that unfolds a possessed survival in which 49 fate diviners gather to test their destinies through various missions, and it was first released on Feb. 11. In some episodes, a mission appears that guesses the cause of death of the deceased through divination, and in the process of guessing the causes of death of fallen firefighters and police officers, it has sparked criticism for insulting the deceased.
The first controversy concerned the handling of the cause of death of the late firefighter Kim Cheol-hong, who died while rescuing citizens at a fire scene in Hongje-dong, Seoul, in 2001. In this process, the deceased's face, date of birth and other personal information were disclosed, and, contrary to what had been notified to the bereaved families in advance, provocative expressions mainly appeared, provoking backlash from the bereaved families.
In the end, the 'Fate War 49' production team issued a first apology on the 22nd and officially expressed regret. At that time, the 'Fate War 49' production team said, "We express deep respect for the sacrifice and faith of Firefighter Kim Cheol-hong, who devoted his life to protecting the people, and offer sincere condolences to the bereaved family," and explained, " 'Fate War 49' started from the question of whether a person's destiny can be read. Because the program's intent was to introduce various lives and deaths, we wanted to use it as an opportunity to reflect on meaningful and noble stories. This is the reason we chose Firefighter Kim's story."
They added, "Before filming, we explained to the bereaved family that this program is a survival-type program featuring fortune tellers and that it illuminates the deceased's destiny through saju, and we obtained the family's written consent to use the portrait, name and date and time of birth. At the filming location, we held a moment of silence to honor the deceased and prayed for his repose."
However, the 'Fate War 49' production team said, "We later learned that among the bereaved family and relatives there were people who said they only received information about the consent process after the broadcast," and added, "We will continue to explain and clear up misunderstandings. We humbly accept many people's criticisms and will strive to gain understanding and sympathy from both viewers and those involved. We sincerely apologize to the wounded bereaved families and fellow firefighters."
The problem was that before the controversy had even settled, the same episode also became controversial for insulting a fallen police officer. During the process of dealing with the circumstances of the death of the late Corporal Lee Jay-hyun, a cast member used the criminal slang term "kalbbang," and host Jun Hyun-moo mentioned it as is while regular panelist Shin Dong agreed with it.
As a result, even the National Police Staff Association said, "They belittled the sacrifice of a fallen public servant with coarse slang," calling for a public apology, self-restraint and deletion of the problematic episode. It is even reported that the Korean National Police Agency has stepped in and is considering legal action such as requesting deletion of the broadcast portion or an official apology on behalf of the bereaved family of the fallen officer.
In this context, Jun Hyun-moo first apologized through his agency SM C&C, saying, "I feel a heavy responsibility for causing pain to the deceased and the bereaved family. I should have been more careful." Belatedly, the 'Fate War 49' production team also issued a second apology on the 24th, adding, "We mourn the fallen people who appeared in the broadcast and extend deep condolences and respect to the bereaved families. Regarding the part in which inappropriate language and descriptions appeared while a shaman appearing on the program, without knowing the deceased, was reading their fortune, we sincerely apologize to the fallen, the bereaved families who may have been hurt, the colleagues, and the many people who were concerned by this matter."
In particular, the production team added, "We are listening to the bereaved families' stories, apologize for not anticipating their feelings in advance, and are working to resolve the issue. We will pay more careful attention to overall program production in the future and strengthen internal review and production processes. Once again, we deeply apologize." However, criticism of 'Fate War 49' remains intense. Attention is focused on the fate of the broadcast. <
[Photo] Provided by Disney+, OSEN DB.
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