Following the recent broadcast of tvN's new series, "See You in My 19th Life," the show has found itself at the center of a controversy involving Iranian viewers. The series has been accused of misrepresenting and distorting aspects of Iran's historical narrative. This controversy revolves around a scene in which the main character, Ban Ji Eum (portrayed by Shin Hye Sun), claims she discovered alcohol, specifically "Arak," during one of her past lives in Saudi Arabia.
Iranian viewers have expressed their disapproval and disappointment with this depiction, citing that, according to well-documented Iranian history and sources, the discovery of alcohol can be traced back to the work of "Abu Bakr al-Razi", an acclaimed Iranian alchemist, physician, and philosopher.
Furthermore, "Arak" is notably recognized as Iran's most iconic and original alcoholic beverage.
Consequently, Iranian viewers are seeking an apology for the misrepresentation of their country's history and for the show's decision to attribute an important aspect of their cultural heritage to an Arab character instead of an Iranian one. Many Iranians are posting comments on various posts on the official Netflix Korea Instagram account asking for an apology.
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Posted by 484 pts Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Iranian Viewers angry at "See You In My 19th Life" and accuse the drama of distorting their country's history
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This series is a fantasy work of fiction, right?
I watched an interview yesterday [oh gosh, who was the celebrity speaker?] Anyway, they were discussing how "outrage" and "cancel culture" are destroying art. I mean, even on Discussion Forums under dramas people complain that a work of fiction lacks reality.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It's pretty bad that fiction writers can no longer use their imaginations. UNLESS --- and this cracks me up --- Watching many of these dramas, isn't it astounding how the stupid, obnoxious, annoying, not very attractive-to-plain girls have three handsome leading men vying for their love?
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