"Dog Slaughter Then Now Atonement?"... Controversy Over Glorifying Animal Abuse

"Highlighting the Perpetrator's Perspective and Defending Animal Abusers"
"Victims Suffer from Secondary Harm"

The entertainment program 'Animals Are Wonderful' has been embroiled in controversy for glorifying the owner of Tangjewon, who has been slaughtering dogs for consumption for decades.

On the 27th, the animal rights organization Animal Freedom Alliance demanded a correction broadcast regarding the episode of 'Animals Are Wonderful' aired on the 23rd. Animal Freedom Alliance pointed out, "The recently aired second episode included content that glorifies animal abusers, leading to widespread criticism of the broadcast."

The episode featured the story of Mr. A, who operated Tangjewon and sold dog meat for 35 years. Mr. A currently runs a pet grooming shop with his daughter and expressed feelings of guilt over an incident where a customer slaughtered a stolen dog. He also mentioned volunteering for pet bathing services.

Animal Freedom Alliance claimed that the incident covered in the broadcast was the 2017 case where a pet dog named 'Oseon-i,' who had lost its home, was kidnapped, sold to Tangjewon, and slaughtered. In a press release, Animal Freedom Alliance stated, "Instead of considering the suffering and pain of the animal, the broadcast highlighted the perpetrator's perspective and defended the animal abuser, which contradicts the original purpose of the program."

KBS entertainment program 'Animals Are Excellent' broadcast screen.

A representative from Animal Freedom Alliance said, "The broadcast explained the circumstances of the perpetrator at the time of the Oseon-i slaughter incident and showed footage of volunteering at the pet grooming business currently run with his daughter. The cast members who saw this made statements supporting or defending the perpetrator. Despite dealing with a clear case of cruel animal abuse where a dog was brutally slaughtered, the broadcast glorified the perpetrator, causing the victim who lost Oseon-i to suffer secondary trauma."

They continued, "Although the video has been removed from the official website, the production team must take responsible actions regarding the already aired broadcast. We have sent an official letter of protest demanding an apology and a correction broadcast, and requested a plan to prevent recurrence during future program production to avoid similar cases."

Jin-ah Jeong, head of the Social Change Team at Animal Freedom Alliance, said, "Considering the pain of the wrongfully killed pet dog 'Oseon-i' and its owner, siding with the animal abuser and representing the perpetrator's voice is not balanced broadcasting but secondary harm. If the broadcast aims to address animal rights correctly, it should not provide a narrative that favors animal abusers."

Meanwhile, following a flood of viewer complaints after the broadcast, the related video has been removed from the official website. The viewer comment board has also been switched to private.

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