Every swear word in this post has been censored by a Korean network

[dangermousie]

$^*()*(*&^%#$@&*&!!

Or is it *^&#!%*(OI(J?

Seriously.

What am I talking about?

A certain Korean drama, Friend. You can go to darkeyedwolf for visual examples but the summary of the issue is such: the Korean network which is showing this arthousy drama decided, in its infinite wisdom, that it would blur out anything that could inflame the children - any shots of violence, knives, or even cigarettes have been blurred out.

The topic of this drama? GANGSTERS AND HOODLUMS.

Ahahahahaaaaaaaaa.

Yes, that's right.

It's not a fluffy romcom, for whom this bizarre bowdlerizing would result in a minute of blurred time over entire run, tops. This blurring restriction turns the gorgeously shot, excellently-written, and well-acted Friend into an impressionist blur for a decent chunk of its runtime. I am wondering why on earth they bought this drama at all if they blur out so much of it - this entire drama was preshot and completed prior to airing, so it's not as if they did not know what they were getting.

Yup - now we have men attacked by The Blob.

I am laughing so I wouldn't cry. Whose brilliant idea was that? Not only am I wondering why they think the kiddies would want to watch a drama about gangsters, set in the 1990s Busan (yeah, that's a teenybopper hotspot topic, that one!), but I am wondering at how schitzophrenic the censors are - are they having an episode? They are blurring out cigarettes in Friend but they are OK with this:



(Kingdom of the Winds, full of similar scenes - here our hero is being brutally tortured on screen)



(courtesy of East of Eden, a.k.a. a 'beatdown per ep' drama. One of the main characters, Dong Wook, is getting waterboarded on screen)



(the hero of Time Between Dog and Wolf, after one of many scenes of torture from the drama - each of which is fully shown in great detail on screen)

Seriously, the entire career of Lee Jun Ki should have been blurred out - have they seen Iljimae or Time between Dog and Wolf!

Not to mention - have they seen Lobbyist, with its different kind of torture in every ep, All In? Or Hong Gil Dong? Or Eyes of Dawn or Damo or Lovers. Are they going to blur the enitirety of IRIS as it's about assassins?

I could freaking kill someone at the Korean network except I think they would blur out my knife.

Comments

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

I seriously do not get Korea. It's okay to show people getting brutally stabbed or beaten or a schoolgirl almost getting gang raped but they blur out things like knives and cigarettes?
At least none of those dramas were adaptations of one of the most famous Korean movies of all time unlike this one. Wtf?! Dammit I was so excited to watch this drama too.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

They are blurring out the brutal beating, too. WTF, who thought of the genius idea of giving a drama about gangsters a lower rating and blurring things out? WTF.

I live in hope of two things:

1. This stupid blurring is only for high school scenes because insane censors seem most concerned about onscreen lives of kiddies and

2. Dvds - it would be insane if those were blurred too.

I honestly don't get the blurring - don't they realize they are driving away the audience? Who wants to watch "drama goes Picasso?" And all because of stupid lower rating which won't bring them any kiddie viewers - what kind of mass teen following would a drama like Friend have?

They are insane.

Now I am dreading what if they decide to go similarly crazy with IRIS.

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

This stupid blurring is only for high school scenes because insane censors seem most concerned about onscreen lives of kiddies and
I just checked soompi and it seems like it's not only for high school scenes. Some of the caps showed Hyun Bin's character all grown up beating up the blur.
But I think the DVDs will be without all this blurring. Everyone seems super pissed.

This is so stupid. They clearly took on this project knowing what it was about. I mean the director for the drama is the same as the movie so I don't get what they expected. This is just so many kinds of stupid!

I really hope they don't do this for IRIS though they apparently added the kpop idol, TOP to bring in younger viewers D:

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Won't they have to blur out the entirety of Lee Byung Hun's character, since he seems to be an assassin? Seems counter-productive to pay him all that money for him to end up a blob :D

Joking aside, I continue to be utterly pissed - if every bit of violence is blurred, not just high school, I will wait until dvds.

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

It is. ): The timeline goes back and forth between childhood/high school/present day, and it's all blurred.

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

Now I am dreading what if they decide to go similarly crazy with IRIS.

Oh god. I might seriously cry.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I was never worried about before as I always assumed they film the violence in a drama in whichever way complies with tv rules but clearly networks can go insane and if they can do it to Friend (which is supposed to be based on a very famous movie) why not IRIS. Argh!

[kitsune714.livejournal.com]

Censorship notwithstanding, is "Friend" still worth watching? I'm a fan of Hyun Bi and Spring Waltz Guy (whose name is slipping my mind right now), and "Brilliant Legacy"'s almost done, so I'm trying to decide what my next kdrama should be.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

If you can get past the blurring then Friend is very good - the blurring does take me out of the story rather when they do it - but it's still a good drama

[joonni.livejournal.com]

"blur out my knife"

PUHAHAHAHAHHA.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am still puzzled as to why they blur out cigarettes. In Asia, smokers' paradise. Not to mention just the glowing end - what do they think, the kiddies won't realize what it was he had in his mouth?

Also, they are gangsters. What is the problem with showing them do bad thing? It's not as if they intended as a shining example to youth!

[cranberrysheep.livejournal.com]

This just doesn't make any sense to me. Why buy and air this when you are just going to butcher it?

Here is a wacky idea: have parents take reponsibility for what their children watch. :O

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It's just insane to me that they would knowingly buy a drama about gangsters only to butcher it - I mean, who do they see as their target audience?

Not to mention - ooooh, kiddies won't realize it's a fight if it's blurred out? Lolol

[hiiyaa.livejournal.com]

Way to kill my excitement KBS.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

KBS - I bet the last letter stands for 'sucks'

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

fsdlfkjs what is that?

[hiiyaa.livejournal.com]

NichKhun of 2PM!

Outcuting the cutest thing in Korean entertainment right now:


Trying out his newest hip moves (3rd from right):


Making you experience the cute in the most unexpected situations:


I don't know even know anymore:


Just your regular boybander.

[mishane.livejournal.com]

Ridiculous.

And I'm so disappointed to, as I really wanted to watch this.

I'll be like you, and wait for the DVD's.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It's just insane. They are gangsters, what do people would think they do in their free time? You mean they won't realize there is fighting if it's blurred out? The whole topic of this should be blurred out, if we are being logical.

I mean, whose brilliant idea was that and can they be fired?

[timescout.livejournal.com]

Guess I'll just wait for the DVDs for this... sigh.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Just. Rage.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Wait, what? I was waiting for more subs before I started Friends, but now I don't know. I've never heard of Korea blurring things like that out on tv. I remember Japan blurring things out a few times - like in Stand Up!! they blurred a few tee-shirts and even the backside of a male. (It wasn't blurred on the DVD, so that gives me hope for the Friends DVD). I've also heard of Korea, Japan, etc skipping episodes due to sensitive world events. But, I really cannot recall Korea ever blurring out beatings or cigarettes before.


Why would they do this? Has an explanation been given by KBS? Is there some rise in Korean teen violence and smoking that I haven't heard about? All I keep thinking is, why would they make a show with all that violence and smoking only to blur everything out? Don't tell me it's due to the low ratings.




Because, look: Friends airs on Saturdays and Sundays against ratings giants Brilliant Legacy (now at 41.8%) and Sons of Sol Pharmacy (now at 33.2%). It's also based on one of the most popular movies of all time (in Korea anyway), so people most likely think they've already seen the story. No point in watching something you've seen. So what, after BL, if the ratings go up, will they stop blurring?




Because, I'm starting to think they blur in order to try and get more family viewers, thus if the ratings go up they might stop.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard about some violence epidemic.

Re: low ratings and blurring. If they were bright they wouldn't blur. Family audiences won't watch Friend because of blurring - they can't blur out the very topic of the drama which makes it unfamily friendly, not to mention family friendly people are already spoiled for choice with wholesome BL and Pharmacy House. If they played Friend properly, it could get people who want something more adult to watch!