Police Report 'X-sae'... Jang Sung-kyu's 'Workman' Stir Controversy Over Police-Disparaging Subtitles

Photo by YouTube channel 'Workman' video capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Hee-eun Park] The YouTube channel 'Workman' sparked controversy for using subtitles that belittle the police.

In the 58th episode of Workman, released on the 26th, Jang Sung-kyu took on the challenge of becoming a police officer.

On that day, Jang Sung-kyu patrolled a gold and silver shop with senior police officers. During an interview with local citizens, the subtitles used were criticized as inappropriate.

When a woman said, "There is a police substation behind my husband's workplace," the subtitle "jjobsegwon" appeared above her husband's head. This reads as 'jjapsegwon' in Korean, where 'jjapse' is a derogatory term for the police.

The episode intended to show Jang Sung-kyu experiencing police work firsthand and conveying the busy daily life and hardships of police officers. However, the use of the word 'jjapse' in the subtitles raised questions online. On the other hand, some argued that the subtitle was consistent with the comedic style of 'Workman,' leading to ongoing debate.

However, netizens are more critical given that this is not the first time 'Workman' has faced subtitle controversies.

Previously, in a March broadcast, Jang Sung-kyu and broadcaster Kim Min-a attempted a part-time job folding boxes. During this, the subtitle "18 gae nomu(勞務) sijak" was used, which caused controversy. This term is used in some far-right communities to disparage former President Roh Moo-hyun.

At the time, the production team explained, "We were completely unaware of this fact," and issued an apology. They also stated that the employee responsible would be disciplined.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.