Teaser for K-drama To The Moon dropped over portrayal of Middle Eastern culture
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To The Moon tells the story of three women struggling with low wages who turn to cryptocurrency investments.
PHOTO: MBCDRAMA_NOW/INSTAGRAM
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SEOUL – South Korean broadcaster MBC has pulled a teaser for its upcoming drama, To The Moon, a day after its release following concerns that it could be seen as mocking Middle Eastern culture.
The teaser, released on Aug 20, showed the three leading actresses – Lee Sun-bin, Ra Mi-ran and Jo A-ram – wearing Middle Eastern-style clothing and dancing in a comical manner.
Some international viewers expressed discomfort and said the video was culturally insensitive and that it ridiculed Middle Eastern traditions.
In a statement on Aug 21, MBC said the scene was meant as a parody of a popular ice cream advertisement from the 1980s and 1990s. It added that the concept was selected because the new TV series is set in a confectionery company.
The teaser specifically drew on a commercial for Lotte’s Screw Bar popsicle, which similarly featured three women in Middle Eastern-inspired costumes dancing playfully.
MBC acknowledged, however, that it had not fully considered how such imagery might be received, particularly by audiences in the Middle East.
“The video has been removed from all channels, and we will be more cautious in the future to avoid causing discomfort,” the company said.
Based on the novel of the same name by South Korean author Jang Ryu-jin, To The Moon tells the story of three women struggling with low wages who turn to cryptocurrency investments. The series is slated to premiere on Sept 19. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
