Netflix‘s Korean content has been both praised and criticized, but one popular series became mired in controversy before it even aired.
Our Blues is tvN K-Drama on Netflix that features an all-star cast of Lee Byung Heon, Shin Min Ah, Kim Woo Bin, and Han Ji Min, among others.
The drama was penned by K-Drama’s star writer Noh Hee Kyung, famous for her Padam Padam, That Winter—The Wind Blows, and, It’s Okay It’s Love trilogy. Less than a week before Our Blues‘ first episode aired, the K-Drama faced some headwinds from fans due to its plot allegedly romanticizing out-of-marriage affairs.
According to Our Blues’ character introductions that were released ahead of the series, Choi Han Soo (played by Cha Seung Won) is described as “A man who loves his wife and children. His wife and daughter leave Korea to improve their golf skills, leaving Choi alone.”
Meanwhile, Jung Eun Hee is a character who is “still single.” One day, Choi Han Soo appears in Jeju “for work and is preparing for his divorce. He may be open to love,” opening the possibility of the two characters falling in love.
With those character intros in mind, a post on an online Korean community criticized Noh Hee Kyung for “romanticizing cheating on your spouse again.” Other netizens complained, “stop romanticizing cheating.”
Noh Hee Kyung has previously explored extramarital affairs in the K-Dramas Lie and Sad Temptation. Her acting, Goodbye Solo, also featured real-life out-of-marriage lovers director Hong Sang Soo and actress Kim Min Hee, although the two weren’t lovers at the time of filming.
Despite this pre-release controversy, Our Blues went on to become a beloved series with sky-high ratings, neurodiversity representation, and more.
Drama “Our Blues” Sees Its Viewership Ratings Sky Rocket
