21st Century Great Army Production Funding Denied

The Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) stated that it did not provide production funding for the MBC drama 'My Dearest' due to historical distortion controversy.

In a press release, the KCSC clarified that the amount provided for 'My Dearest' was 3.1 million won for the actual expenses of one official's airfare and accommodation to attend an overseas investment briefing. It added that this was a one-time support for event participation and not subject to repayment under the subsidy management law, thus there are no plans to recover the funds.

However, the KCSC announced that it will strengthen future support conditions to prevent issues such as significantly distorting objectively verifiable historical facts.

'My Dearest,' which concluded on the 16th, is a fantasy romance drama set in a constitutional monarchy in 21st-century Korea. A controversy arose on the 15th during the broadcast of its 11th episode, specifically during the coronation scene of Prince Yi An (Byeon Woo-seok). Viewers pointed out that the king wearing a "guryumyeonryugwan" (a type of crown) and the officials shouting "Cheonse" (ten thousand years) instead of "Manse" (ten thousand years, a common acclamation for a monarch) depicted a vassal state, leading to accusations of historical distortion.

In response, the production team issued an official statement, saying, "We are taking seriously the viewers' feedback that the scene where the king wears a 'guryumyeonryugwan' and the officials call out 'Cheonse' undermines our nation's sovereign status." They apologized, stating, "This incident occurred because the production team did not meticulously examine how Joseon's court etiquette evolved throughout history."