‘The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won’ Resumes Broadcast + Set New Production Guidelines Following Animal Abuse Controversy
KBS announced the comeback of "The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won" on air after facing allegations regarding animal abuse.
For almost one month, the network postponed the broadcast of the weekend historical Kdrama.
'The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won' Back to Broadcast
In an official statement released, KBS once again apologized to the public for causing concern, acknowledging that they are "deeply responsible for the unfortunate accident that occurred during the filming.
With this, they announced that "The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won" will resume its broadcasting on February 26.
To recall, "The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won" last aired on January 16 before episode 13 got canceled.
READ MORE: 'The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won' Canceled for the Fourth Week
KBS Laid Out New Production Guidelines
Apart from the confirmation of the Kdrama's return, KBS also assured the public that the incident would not happen again on the set as well as other programs.
This is through the "new production guideline clause to improve the awareness of bioethics and animal welfare, and to ensure the safety of the animals appearing."
Based on the updated guidelines, the "basic principles for the protection of the animals and cast were clarified."
In addition, a set of rules should be followed during the preparation and filming stage.
KBS also reiterated that the new directive must be fulfilled at the production site, with the government's cooperation and related animal protection organizations to improve awareness and safety of animal welfare throughout the filming.
What You Need to Know About 'The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won' Controversy
In December 2021, KBS introduced its newest historical Kdrama, "The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won," featuring lead stars Joo Sang Wook, Kim Yeong Cheol, Ye Ji Won, and Park Jin Hee.
The weekend drama kicked off with a promising start as Neilsen Korea noted that the series garnered an average nationwide rating of 8.7 percent while 7.8 percent for its pilot episode.
As the Kdrama reached the end of its first half, "The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won" viewership rating climbed to 11 percent, suggesting a positive response from the viewers.
Unfortunately, the Saturday and Sunday Kdrama was hit with controversy amid the high ratings.
It came after a behind-the-scenes clip for episode 7 circulated on social media, showing Kim Yeong Chul's character, Lee Seong Gye, was thrown off his horse while riding.
To create this part, the crew tied a rope around its leg and pulled it to the ground causing the animal to head dive and dramatically fall.
Following this, KBS immediately issued a public apology and took "grave responsibility" towards the tragic incident.
However, in a statement, the broadcast network mentioned that the horse died a week after the shoot, which drew the public's ire.
The incident prompted The Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA) to call out KBS and pointed out that they need to "establish guidelines on animal welfare."
On the other hand, the public also supported the petition submitted to the Blue House, noting that the weekend historical Kdrama must be permanently canceled.
