Netflix’s ‘Doona!’ has sparked controversy for the frequent smoking scenes by its lead, Suzy.
While smoking scenes are typically restricted in TV dramas and variety shows, they are shown without restraint on streaming platforms like Netflix, purportedly adding realism but potentially encouraging youth smoking.
The inconsistency in regulations between traditional TV and OTT platforms is fueling debate. The rise of Netflix has intensified the crisis for broadcast networks.
Netflix’s hit show ‘The Chef in Black and White’ also faced backlash. The winner, ‘Napoli Mafia’ (Kwon Seong-jun), flaunts tattoos on his arm, and ‘Crazy Cook’ (Yoon Nam-no) uses explicit language freely throughout the show—scenes that would typically require censorship on TV.
Professor Shim Mi-seon of Soonchunhyang University noted at a seminar on “Creating a Fair Competitive Environment for Paid Broadcasting” that, “The success of shows like ‘The Chef in Black and White’ on Netflix brings mixed reactions. Productions like ‘Squid Game,’ ‘I Am God,’ and ‘The Chef in Black and White’ thrive on OTT platforms because of relaxed regulations.”
She continued, “The tattoos and explicit language would have required heavy editing on TV. Without this, broadcasters risk post-production penalties.”
Critics argue that OTT platforms, especially global ones like Netflix, enjoy looser regulations in an evolving media market, while overly strict rules on traditional broadcasting increase its struggles.
Hwang Yu-seon from the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) remarked, “With OTT growth expanding market competition, regulatory asymmetry has surfaced, making reform in broadcasting regulations urgent.”
With regulatory imbalances ongoing, paid TV services face an existential crisis, as annual revenues decline due to competition from platforms like Netflix.
Professor Shim further pointed out that “blockbuster reality shows are now mostly Netflix exclusives, turning Korean production companies into subcontractors in a Netflix-dominated environment.”
Source: Daum
