‘SNL Korea’ Under Fire Again: Ahn Young Mi’s Provocative Take on ‘Jeongnyeon’ Draws Criticism

SNL Korea is not off the hook again, when they made a parody of their own from hit K-drama Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born which created an uproar.

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The clip is from Episode 9 of the show, which first aired on Oct. 26 and has been criticized since by some fans and online commentators.

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In the skit, comedian Ahn Young-mi played the character of Yoon Jeong Nyeon and changed her name to Jeot Nyeoni (Jeot meaning a slang term for female genitalia).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB5l-6f6fmA&t=21s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB5l-6f6fmA&t=21s

Ahn changed the opening line of the Korean pansori Love Song from “Come over here, and let”s have fun” to “Come over here, let”s go naked,” while making what some felt were lewd gestures.

Ahn’s cavalcade was interrupted by Jeong Yi-rang with the words “stop. This already makes me feel in danger of making a kid. It could factor into the birthing policy.” Viewers have mercilessly blasted Jeong for this comment, adding to the ongoing controversy surrounding the skit.

Read more:
Kim Tae Ri and Jung Eun Chae Stun Fans with Chemistry at Jeongnyeon Event: ‘Are They Married?’

On social media, viewers have reacted unfavorably, and many said the sketch went from satire to ridicule.

On platforms such as Twitter and comment sections, people wrote things like, “This is not satire, this is condescension,” and “Were they really that desperate to make a Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born parody so gross?”

It’s not only the story of a woman’s survival in a period where women’s social position is very low, but we also see the struggles Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born faces to overcome these problems.

Critics contend basing the protagonist’s name on a slang reference to breasts and adding lines about pregnancy reduces the narrative’s core themes of survival and strength to mere jokes.

This is just the latest in a series of controversies surrounding SNL Korea’s content this season: The series has drawn controversy with its parodies of author Han Kang and NewJeans member Hanni. The show has not publicly commented on these controversies, though.

While the debate continues online, others speculate that SNL Korea will comment on this controversy and that potential adjustments are being made to content going forward.

Read more:
‘Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born’: Shin Ye Eun Shares Stunning Pictorial Prior to Highly Anticipated Premiere

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Rovelyn Barba