"Victims Are Alive, Yet No Sense of Problem" Sim Sang-jung Criticizes 'Snowdrop' [Comprehensive]

Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party presidential candidate, strongly criticized the JTBC drama "Snowdrop," a comprehensive programming channel drama that announced it would proceed with airing despite controversies over historical distortion, including belittling the democratization movement and glorifying the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA).

On the 21st, Candidate Sim posted on her social network service (SNS), "If you do not feel a sense of problem with a drama featuring a spy infiltrated into the activist group, a righteous KCIA, university students without any era-related concerns, and a character resembling former dictator Chun Doo-hwan portrayed like a mafia boss, then the problem lies with you," she criticized.

She continued, "We must remember that the spy fabrication and torture wounds during Chun Doo-hwan's attempt to overthrow the state have continued beyond a century. The victims are still alive," raising her voice.

Regarding the "Snowdrop" production team's claim that they "tried to depict the romance of the era," Candidate Sim pointed out, "If you want to shed light on a harsh era, the protagonists should not be the KCIA of the dictatorship or the South Korean spies, but our ordinary citizens who shed blood, sweat, and tears for South Korean democracy."

She added, "There is an excellent precedent in KBS 2TV's 'Youth of May.' Freedom of creation must be humble before the wounds of history," she criticized.

The drama "Snowdrop" faced concerns about historical distortion after its synopsis was leaked in March. The main characters played by BLACKPINK member Jisoo and actor Jung Hae-in were pointed out as problematic because they reminded viewers of real victims of state power such as Chun Young-cho, Yoon Isang, and Lim Jong-seok.

Additionally, the fact that the male lead is a "spy pretending to be an activist" and another character, the KCIA team leader, is introduced as a "righteous and upright figure" sparked controversy over belittling the democratization movement and glorifying the KCIA.

In the past, the KCIA tortured democratization activists and falsely accused them of being spies. There were activists who suffered unjustly and even lost their lives. This was pointed out as a serious historical distortion.

At that time, SBS's drama "Joseon Exorcist" was canceled after airing due to controversies over historical distortion and Northeast Project issues, but "Snowdrop" announced it would continue production as planned and proceeded with filming.

Meanwhile, the "Snowdrop" side explained, "Please watch the completed drama," but the controversy intensified after the first broadcast on the 18th. The problematic scenes included a female college student hiding a spy, mistaken as an activist, in her dormitory, and the two developing mutual affection.

Moreover, the insertion of Ahn Chi-hwan's "Sol-ah Pureureun Sol-ah," a song used during the democratization movement, in the chase scenes between the spy and the KCIA was criticized as inappropriate.

As controversy arose that "Snowdrop" belittled the democratization movement and glorified the KCIA, JTBC stated, "Most misunderstandings will be resolved during the drama's progression," expressing their intention to proceed with airing, but the controversy has not subsided.

Furthermore, criticism against JTBC, which explained some plot points and expressed respect for "freedom of creation," is growing. The criticism is that the problem is not just a few scenes in episodes 1 and 2, but that there was a lack of consideration in directing a drama set in the 1980s presidential election period when the democratization movement fiercely opposed the military regime.

There is a consensus that continuing to broadcast while ignoring the sacrifices and pain of countless youths under military oppression and anti-communist ideology, and the victims who still suffer, is inappropriate.

Regarding "Snowdrop," the Democratic Martyrs Park Jong-cheol Memorial Association stated, "From the beginning, democratization movements should not be linked with the KCIA and spies. During the military dictatorship, many victims suffered violence and torture due to fabricated spy cases, ruining their lives, leading to extreme choices, and even executions," condemning the drama.

They added, "At that time, the logic of state agencies including the KCIA was 'because you are spies.' The KCIA chasing real spies in the drama and female college students hiding spies thinking they are activists rationalizes and legitimizes their claims. This is another form of harm," they criticized.

Currently, more than 330,000 people have signed a Blue House petition calling for the suspension of "Snowdrop," and most sponsors, including Puradak, have withdrawn their advertisements and cut ties with the drama.

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