Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
'Narco-Saints' tests Korea's diplomatic ties with Suriname
A scene from Netflix series “Narco-Saints” / Courtesy of Netflix
By Lee Hae-rin
Korean Embassy in Venezuela issues safety warning to Korean residents of Suriname
By Lee Hae-rin
The hit Netflix series, “Narco-Saints,” has become a point of contention for Korea's diplomatic relations with the South American country of Suriname. The government of Suriname has threatened to take legal action against the series producers for what it has called a misleading portrayal of the country. It has also said it will send a letter of protest to the U.S. ambassador in Suriname over Netflix's support of the series.
The 6-part Netflix original series released on Sept. 9 resolves around a civilian informant who collaborates with Korea's National Intelligence Service to capture a Korean drug lord operating in the South American country. It is based on a true story of Korean drug dealer Cho Bong-haeng, who operated a massive trafficking organization there two decades ago and was arrested in 2011.
Suriname complained that the series' negative portrayal of the country as a drug trafficking hub is unfair and puts the country at a disadvantage.
“Suriname no longer has the image that emerges in the series or no longer participates in these kinds of practices,” Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation (BIBIS) Albert Ramdin said in a statement released on the government's website, Monday.
In the statement, the minister acknowledged that “the aspect of free speech must be taken into account” but “it's about creating a negative perception” about the South American country. He said that “the whole world sees these things, so this is not good,” noting that the country has been working on eradicating criminal practices portrayed in the series for decades.
Ramdin said that he will consider taking legal action against the series' producers for alleged defamation as well as make a diplomatic protest to the Korean government through the ambassador.
Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “has not received any official complaint from Suriname since the series has been aired,” noting that it is “trying to maintain friendly relations” with the South American country.
The Korean Embassy in Venezuela, which is also responsible for relations with Suriname, issued a safety warning to Koreans livening in Suriname on its website
“We understand that the Korean community in Suriname is embarrassed because of the possible fallout of the Netflix series, 'Narco-Saints.' We, the embassy staff, are deeply concerned about the safety of Koreans and will do our utmost to keep you safe,” the statement posted on its website reads.
“Please be aware at all times … Should anyone have any issue that causes concern or require help, please contact us via the president of the Korean community in the region,” the statement reads.
Korea and Suriname established diplomatic relations in 1975 after the South American country gained independence from the Netherlands. The Korean Embassy in Suriname withdrew from the country in 1993 and handed over relevant duties to the embassy in Venezuela.
According to the streaming analytics platform FlixPatrol, Thursday, “Narco-Saints” ranked number 3 globally among Netflix's TV series. It is the most watched Netflix show in eight regions including Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam, while hitting the 5th most popular series in the U.S.
During the press conference on Thursday, the series director, Yoon Jong-bin, was asked to comment on the complaints of the Suriname government but he declined. Netflix has not made any official statement but is “preparing to make an announcement.”