Even the main actors of the Korean series below are criticized for participating in works that distort history.

Along with the outstanding development of the Korean television industry, the audience wants perfection in every work that they watch, requiring filmmakers to be meticulous in both production and censorship progress. Therefore, in recent times, there have been many Korean series or movies that have sparked a wave of violent boycotts from the audience because of scandals related to historical distortion.

• Joseon Exorcist

The most severely boycotted Korean drama in history is Joseon Exorcist, the drama that could have been a major historical hit of SBS. Accordingly, Joseon Exorcist came under fierce criticism for using Chinese props and disrespecting Korean history by bringing real characters in the Joseon royal family into a fictional story. In addition, the audience discovered the image of the character Moo Hwa (Jung Hye Sung) in Joseon Exorcist of plagiarizing the costume of Ju JingYi in a Chinese drama. 

Joseon Exorcist was forced to be discontinued indefinitely after 2 episodes

• Snowdrop

Snowdrop is the hottest Korean drama in the past few days. After it premiered, it has continuously faced criticism from Korean netizens. In less than a day since the audience filed a petition to the Blue House to cancel the broadcast of the drama, Snowdrop has received more than 200,000 signatures and 452 complaints, which is even more severe than Joseon Exorcist. The reason is because many Koreans are extremely angry that Snowdrop has lots of details that distort history.

After being accused of distorting history, Snowdrop lost sponsorship from a series of brands.  Even Disney+, the only OTT platform that broadcasts Snowdrop, has received hundreds of complaints to cancel the broadcast.

This is probably the most controversial Korean drama in history because controversy has erupted since before its release

• Mr. Queen

After Joseon Exorcist was banned, another YG’s product, Mr. Queen was suddenly ostracized by the public.  The work is accused of defaming King Cheol Jong, depicting Queen Shin Jong as a superstitious person and using the worshiping rituals of the ancients at Jongmyo Temple – a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a joke.

Currently, after a while of being removed from online streaming platforms in Korea, information related to the drama has reappeared.

• Empress Ki

Despite being one of the blockbusters with the highest ratings in Korean history, Empress Ki is still controversial because of the scandal of distorting history.  The Korean audience criticized the production crew for choosing the main setting of the drama to be in China, at the end of the Yuan dynasty.  Even this drama is said to distort the image of historical figures.

Lee Jun Young recently opened up about the emotional toll of playing a villain—and how one powerful scene made him break down in tears behind the scenes.

On the May 1st episode of KBS 2TV’s variety show Problem Child in House, Lee Jun Young appeared alongside co-star Jung Eun Ji to promote their new KBS drama Pump Up the Healthy Love.

During the show, Lee Jun Young was asked about the most unforgettable villain he’s played. He chose his role as Han Su Gang in the film Brave Citizen.

He explained, “It was really tough to film. I had to act like I was leading school violence, and there was even a scene where I bullied a grandmother.”

The hosts were surprised, pointing out how kind and gentle he seems in real life. Lee Jun Young shared how he transforms for such roles.

“I try to act as bad as I can, but sometimes the director says, ‘You still look too nice.’ Then I focus even harder and adjust right away.”

He also revealed that filming one particular scene hit him hard emotionally. “My real grandmother was sick at the time,” he said.

“In one scene, there’s a grandma selling gimbap, and I ad-libbed by stubbing a cigarette out on the gimbap. I was really into character, but after filming, I just broke down. So many thoughts came to me and I started crying.”

Fans praised his dedication to acting but also felt moved by how deeply the role affected him. Lee Jun Young’s honesty gave a raw look at how even fictional roles can hit close to home.

Source: [1]