SBS's Friday-Saturday drama "Would You Marry Me" has found itself in hot water after it aired an episode where a character forgives the criminal for illegal filming, a longstanding can-do-no-wrong issue in South Korea.
The scandal was reported following the October 25 episode, which featured family medicine doctor Yoon Jin-kyung (played by actress Shin Seul-gi) secretly recorded while performing CPR on an unconscious patient in a public park.
In the same scene, Baek Sang-hyun (played by Bae Na-ra) intervened to help. "Illegal filming is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine of 50 million won (approximately $36,000)," he warned, before adding a controversial line: "I think this is the first time, so I'm letting it slide, but next time will be merciless."
Following the broadcast, the SBS official YouTube channel uploaded a short video titled "Shin Seul-gi's secret filming of the rich woman with a hidden camera, Bae Na-ra's refreshing true education." However, public backlash quickly followed, with many viewers accusing the drama of downplaying a serious crime.
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Another viewer posted on social media, "Forgiving a criminal without adhering to the proper legal process sends the wrong message. Illegal filming is not something that must be forgiven at any cost."
Others shared a similar reaction, saying the drama would have better focused on reporting to authorities instead of forgiving. "It's disappointing to see a public broadcaster make forgiveness for such a serious offense mainstream," one netizen posted.
As the controversy intensified, SBS allegedly removed all connected shorts and video clips showing the scene from its official sites, indicating that the network accepted the people's concerns.
According to Insight, the network has not yet made an official statement in response to the criticism. The issue continues to garner extensive debate online, especially concerning how TV dramas depict social and legal responsibility.
In the meantime, "Would You Marry Me" tells the life of Kim Woo-joo (Choi Woo-shik) and Yoo Mary (Jung So-min), two people who decide to pretend to be newlyweds for 90 days to get a luxurious house. The show, which premiered with a viewership rating of 5.6% based on Nielsen Korea, has now risen to 7.1% by its sixth episode.
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