[Feature] Local audiences conflicted over sensational Netflix Korean originals

Global expectations for and interest in Korean content, specifically Korean Netflix originals, look set to endure, with series -- such as “My Name,” “Hellbound,” “The Silent Sea” and “All of Us Are Dead” -- all having followed Squid Game's lead to enter the platform's global top 10.

According to the global streaming service Netflix, its latest zombie thriller “All of Us Are Dead” retained the No. 1 slot on the service’s weekly viewership chart for the second consecutive week after its release.

The series became the third most popular non-English TV series based on hours viewed in the first 28 days on Netflix with 474.26 million hours viewed, after “Squid Game” (1.65 billion hours viewed) and “Money Heist: Part 4” (619.01 million hours viewed).

Despite their global popularity, many local viewers are expressing concerns about scenes of sexuality, horror, violence in the series, and risk of copycat crimes.

The zombie breakout hit “All of Us Are Dead” begins with a group of high school students bullying Jin-su, a male classmate. The scene was presented with dynamic camera movements, including close-ups and wide shots, making viewers feel as if they were watching an action noir.

Also in the first episode, a victim of school violence, Eun-ji, a female student, faces sexual harassment. The scene moves on with another victim, Cheol-su, unwillingly videotapes Eun-ji after being threatened by the perpetrators.

Kim Min-jae, a 33-year-old marketer in a retail company from Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, said she was not sure whether these scenes should have been presented in the way it is.

“I think many Korean viewers have seen various dramas and films presenting the issues about the school violence and sexual harassment. And I was thinking whether there was no other option to deliver the alarming message about sexual harassment, other than stripping Eun-ji’s shirt,” Kim told The Korea Herald on Monday.

Another viewer, a father in his early 40s from Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, said he felt troubled when his two young children had asked to watch the series with him.

“With the growing popularity, I heard that students in elementary school are watching the Netflix series as well. Strictly speaking, many Netflix Korean originals do contain contents that are inappropriate for young children. But, even if their accounts are blocked, the children can still access the series via other channels, like YouTube,” said the man, who only gave his surname as Park.

Adding fuel to the fire are the ways controversial scenes are edited and shared online, said culture critic Hwang Jin-mi.

Oftentimes, sexual, provocative scenes are compiled and edited into short form videos to attract views and become widely shared on social media, she said.

“Though the creator’s intention was made with a thorough ethical contemplation, the real-life situation of content distribution is another matter,” Hwang told The Korean Herald on Tuesday.

The discussion about morals in creative contents and their production -- an ongoing and much debated issue since the early 2010s with trauma-rape drama “Han Gong-ju” (2013), “Spirits’ Homecoming, Unfinished Story” (2017) and “Herstory” (2017) -- are being overlooked, Hwang said.

Meanwhile, some drama fans were worried how much of an influence viewers’ voices would have on what content creators make in the future.

“I heard from the news that ‘Squid Game’ director was originally planning to produce his work in films, because he was certain that no Korean broadcasters will accept and produce ‘Squid Game’ into a drama. If the series was produced in movies, I don’t think ‘Squid Game’ could have become such a global phenomenon,” a 23-year-old Dongguk University student surnamed Kim said.

“I hope Netflix and Korean directors continue to produce thrilling contents and not limit the upcoming series with the boring romance, like many Korean broadcasters do nowadays. I understand where the criticisms are coming from, but that should not become another regulation to burden the creators,” said another university student who wished to remain anonymous.

Culture critic Jeong Deok-hyun believes the ongoing concerns can be addressed looking at the characteristics of Netflix.

“Similar to HBO Max, Netflix is an over-the-top platform, focused on video contents for adults, and is comparatively free with the level of expressions, unlike Disney+. The people are also paying to use the service, so Netflix cannot be looked at the same way as local broadcasters,” the cultural expert told The Korea Herald.

Jeong said he fully understands the criticisms and worried remarks made by local viewers with Netflix’s Korean originals like “My Name” and “All of Us Are Dead.” But if certain scenes were produced for necessary reasons, instead of simply to become viral, they should be free from such criticisms, he said.

“However, the most important part is to make sure these contents are consumed by the appropriate target audience. Though the platforms are keeping them away with the age limit policy, I believe concrete measures are required,” Jeong said.

By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)