{
  "id": 17926062,
  "title": "Culture war targets films and dramas portraying Korea's path toward democratization",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/culture-war-targets-films-and-dramas-portraying-koreas-path-toward-17926062",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-03T07:17:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20261103/culture-war-targets-films-and-dramas-portraying-koreas-path-toward-democratization"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent political pressure has been directed at films and television dramas depicting modern Korean history. The film *The Assassin(s)* has been criticized for allegedly misrepresenting history, specifically in its portrayal of the assassination of first lady Yuk Young-soo. Meanwhile, the popular SBS medical drama *Doctor X: Mafia in White* has faced backlash for addressing the May 18 Democratic Uprising.\n\nExperts suggest that the backlash stems from a diminishing consensus among younger generations regarding historical facts and their importance. Additionally, they point to political calculations by entities attempting to capitalize on this gap to broaden their support base. These experts caution that such divisive and unproductive conflicts could escalate into a \"culture war,\" potentially eroding creative freedom and social cohesion.\n\nOn October 24, a petition was submitted on the National Assembly's National Consent Petition website, requesting the suspension of *Doctor X*. This petition emerged shortly after the drama's sixth episode presented its protagonist, Dr. Kye Su-jeong (played by Kim Ji-won), encountering a victim who lost her elder brother to military helicopter fire during the May 18 Democratic Uprising.",
  "summary": "Political pressure has recently mounted against films and TV dramas dealing with modern Korean history. The film \"The Assassin(s)\" has faced accusations of distorting history for raising questions about the assasination of first lady Yuk Young-soo, while the popular SBS medical drama \"Doctor X: Mafia in White\" has been attacked for addressing the May 18 Democratic Uprising. Experts attribute the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}