Importance of thorough historical research cannot be overemphasized
SBS historical fantasy series “Joseon Exorcist” has been canceled after triggering heated controversy over historical inaccuracies and distortions. Broadcaster SBS said it agreed to terminate the broadcast rights contract with the production companies, aware of the seriousness of the situation. The period horror drama aired just two of its 16 planned episodes last week.
“Joseon Exorcist” is a show set in the early 15th century during the reign of King Taejong, the third monarch of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom. The king, along with Princes Chungnyeong and Yangnyeong, fights evil spirits to save the kingdom.
But the series triggered angry responses from viewers as soon as its first episode aired Monday. Many viewers accused the show of disparaging King Taejong by showing him slaughtering innocent people cruelly when he was hallucinating, which lacks historical basis. Also, Prince Chungnyeong, who would later become King Sejong, treats a Catholic priest to a feast at a tavern in a northern border area. The two drink Chinese liquor and eat mooncakes, Chinese-style dumplings and century eggs.
The public reacted furiously and posted a petition on an online bulletin of the presidential office, calling for the termination of the drama. The strong backlash caused some companies to withdraw their advertisements and sponsorships. Public outcry was all the more loud as Koreans' anti-China sentiment has gained strength amid Chinese claims that some Korean foods and cultural items such as kimchi and hanbok, traditional Korean clothes, are of Chinese origin.
Needless to say, historical figures should be dealt with based on facts even in fantasy series. Historical inaccuracies could cause trouble. Certainly, this incident should ring alarm bells to the recent trend here of neglecting research into historical facts for entertainment's sake. To prevent a recurrence of similar incidents, it is imperative to create an environment in which thorough historical research can be done from the planning stage of a drama through to screenplay writing and direction. Yet creativity and originality must not be compromised in this process.