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| Apology issued in Arabic by the producers of "King the Land"/ Captured from JTBC's social media |
By Woo Da-bin
The JTBC drama series "King the Land" has come under fire both in Korea and abroad for its misrepresentation of Arab characters. The show's production team has delivered a second apology in the space of one day, the latest written in Arabic, in response to the public outcry.
In an episode aired on Saturday and Sunday, a man named Samir (played by Anupam Tripathi) checks in at a hotel where the main character Cheon Sarang (played by Im Yoon-ah) works. Samir reveals himself to be a prince and is seen partying at a nightclub with other women. He's also portrayed as a womanizer and ends up forming one part of a love triangle alongside Goo Won (played by Lee Joon-ho) when he openly expresses his affection for Cheon Sarang.
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| Controversial scene from the JTBC drama series "King the Land"/ Captured from JTBC's "King the Land" |
The episode sparked outrage among international viewers, with the showrunners' understanding of Arab culture being called into question for depicting a Muslim character going against religious practice and drinking alcohol. While Samir was never seen drinking on-screen, he was seated in a table full of bottles at a nightclub. Critics say the character was a highly-fictionalized and unconvincing caricature of a prince from the Arab world.
Indian actor Anupam Tripathi, who played Samir, has also become the target of online abuse as a result of the controversy. The producers of "King the Land" said all the characters, locations and names depicted in the drama series are fictional and not meant to represent any figures or countries in real life. However, their statement has only led to further backlash and negative press.
The controversy has dealt a significant blow to the popularity of "King the Land," which was the most-watched non-English show on Netflix as of July 2. With criticism mounting, the showrunners released a second statement of apology, including a version in Arabic, acknowledging that they had failed to consider the perspective of viewers from different cultural backgrounds and would make the necessary changes to address the scenes in question.
Woo Da-bin (ekqls0642@hankookilbo.com) is a reporter at The Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times. This article, previously published in The Hankook Ilbo, has been translated as part of a news-sharing program.
