"Reply 1994" Is Warned About Profanity But The Warning Comes Too Late

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Reply 1995
Tiny G
Do Hee
Kim Sung Kyun

This week the Korean Communications Standards Commission warned the producers of the tvN drama "Reply 1994" that the characters in the show should not curse so much. The only problem with issuing that directive is that the show ended almost two months ago. It's not like the producers can be careful to make sure that it does not happen again.

The directive was issued during the commission's general meeting. According to the commission, the drama's producers broke Rule 90, Article 51, which concerns profanity used on television during a time slot in which young people might be watching.

The episode that especially concerned them was Episode 5. In that episode, Sam Cheon Po, played by Kim Sung Kyun, ate some snakes given to him by Yoon Jin, played by Tiny G's Do Hee. Her fictional character supposedly got the snakes from kpop icon Seo Taiji of Seo Taiji and the Boys. The scene involved physical fighting and cursing, with the profanity uttered mostly by Do Hee.

Another episode that the commission did not care for was Episode 13. In that episode the character Yoon Jin swore again when she did not get a scholarship. Last but not least was Episode 16 in which Trash, played by Jung Woo was fighting and discussing the female anatomy.

The drama follow-up to "Reply 1997" ended in December, earning average ratings of 11.9 percent and having a peak rating of 11.9% for its final episode.

The success of the drama helped propel the careers of some of its stars, but it may also have created some false impressions about who those actors were in real life. For example, singer and actress Do Hee said that after the drama ended many people approached her asking to curse as she did while playing the character in the drama.

"There are people who asked me to curse," she said.

She did not want to but people kept asking, thinking that maybe in real life her way of speaking was as colorful as her foul-mouthed drama character.

"One person was so relentless that I finally said, 'Get the hell away.' That person really liked it though," she said. 

Poor Do Hee. Hopefully in her next role, she will be able to transform her image.

What's your opinion on the use of profanity? Should k-dramas be restricted in the language they use? And, what's the point of making this statement after the fact?

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