[E-Daily Reporter Gim Ga Yeong ] "It's too scary to produce."

Following the film *The Assassins* and now the drama *Doctor X*, the content industry is growing increasingly frustrated as these works become embroiled in controversy surrounding historical events. Some in the industry are even voicing complaints, asking, “Isn’t this effectively public censorship?”

In the sixth episode of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Doctor X,’ which aired on the 24th, the cast at Seonam Hospital—the drama’s setting—decided to treat Oh Sang-beom (played by Ha Seong-gwang), a patient who had suffered for 46 years after being shot by martial law troops during the May 18 Democratization Movement. Toward the end of the episode, a fictional character named former President Ji Du-seok—who bears a resemblance to former President Chun Doo-hwan—was transported to the hospital in an unconscious state. This scene heightened the tension as Oh Sang-beom, a victim of the May 18th Democratization Movement, and Ji Du-seok, portrayed as a perpetrator, found themselves face-to-face in the same room.

After the episode aired, a public petition was submitted to the National Assembly stating that the content was “uncomfortable to watch.” The petitioner, identified only as Mr. A, argued, “References to the May 18th incident that were unrelated to the plot caused many viewers to frown,” adding, “It is difficult to accept the sudden inclusion of the May 18th incident—a topic subject to political controversy in its details—into the drama.”

The content industry finds itself in a difficult position amid this wave of public censorship. Popular culture should leave room for diverse interpretations, foster broad discussions, and shape social discourse; it is deeply regrettable that the practice of taking issue with the mere appearance of specific events continues to recur. In particular, calls for extreme measures such as “suspension of broadcast” or “cancellation” are viewed as inappropriate demands that stifle diverse perspectives from the outset.

Already, due to a deteriorating external environment—including intensifying competition among platforms and rising production costs—the success or failure of a single piece of content has a significantly greater impact on the operations of content production companies. In this context, producers are left on edge whenever they see controversies—unintended by the creators—spill over into the political arena. One thing is clear: the more frequent these controversies become, the more the creative landscape will shrink, inevitably leading to a decline in bold, innovative projects.

While discussions surrounding works should be lively, they must not lead to unnecessary debates or conflicts between political factions that stifle creation and production. For K-content, which is expanding globally, to maintain its competitiveness, an environment that encourages and tolerates diverse perspectives and subject matter must be fostered.