"Is It a Crime That I Got Sick?"... Backlash Grows Over 'Doctor Cha Jeongsuk' Crohn's Disease Portrayal

Excessive Negative Portrayal of Crohn's Disease
"Failure to Correct Misinformation" Criticized

The JTBC drama 'Doctor Cha Jeong-sook,' set in a hospital, has received complaints to the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) for portraying Crohn's disease in an excessively negative light, sparking heated debates among netizens over the controversial scene.

On the 9th, the KCSC announced that it has received 43 complaints so far regarding episode 7 of 'Doctor Cha Jeong-sook,' which aired on the 6th, and is currently reviewing the related content.

Dr. Cha Jeong-sook Poster.
[Photo by JTBC]

The particularly problematic part involves a conversation between a Crohn's disease patient and her father-in-law and mother-in-law in the drama.

The father-in-law says, "How could you hide such a terrible disease and get married? Even if you ruin my daughter's life, there should be limits," and the mother-in-law adds, "I heard this disease is hereditary."

In response, critical comments have been posted on the 'Doctor Cha Jeong-sook' viewer board, such as "I'm trying hard to overcome my illness, but watching the drama makes me feel like everything is falling apart," "I demand correction of information about Crohn's disease," and "Crohn's disease is hereditary? Take 'Doctor' out of the drama title."

Other netizens also expressed negative reactions, saying, "There was no consideration for Crohn's disease patients," "It makes me depressed thinking that people see my illness that way," "Is having a disease a crime?" "It's a hospital-based drama, yet it treats the disease too lightly," and "If they include lines blaming it as 'hereditary,' they should have included corrective lines as well."

However, some opinions suggested, "Isn't this a realistic reaction?" "Maybe it depicts conversations with people ignorant about the disease," and "It would be better to focus more on the context within the drama."

Crohn's disease, which broadcasters Yoon Jong-shin and Young-gi have also confessed to having, is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Although the exact cause of Crohn's disease is not yet known, it is presumed to develop due to an excessive immune response by the body to the normal gut microbiota, along with environmental and genetic factors.

The most common symptoms include diarrhea and abdominal pain, and in severe cases, extraintestinal symptoms such as sclerosing cholangitis, which causes narrowing or strictures of the bile ducts, and kidney stones may also occur.

Meanwhile, the production team of 'Doctor Cha Jeong-sook' is reportedly assessing the situation regarding this controversy.

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