Further episodes of Lee Bang Won’s South Korean historical drama The King of Tears have allegedly been postponed for another week due to animal mistreatment allegations.
As per Korea JoongAng Daily, Lee Bang-controversial won’s drama series The King of Tears has indeed been postponed for another week, as announced by the local broadcaster on Thursday (February 3).
The historical drama got a lot of controversy in January after viewers complained to the Korean Animal Welfare Association about a scene in which a horse was pushed to the ground with a rope tied around its legs, resulting in the horse plunging to the ground head first.
When the network eventually disclosed that the horse had died, the criticism became much more intense. Following the horse’s death on January 21, KBS issued an official apologetic statement, saying, “We profoundly regret to viewers for creating such a tragic event.”
“KBS recognises that filming the [certain] scenario was difficult, and we will develop a new technique to film similar sequences in the future to ensure that an occurrence like this does not occur again.” We’ll also prioritise animal safety by consulting with relevant groups and experts,” they stated. Following the news, the drama took a two-week hiatus from showing and erased the contentious sequence from episode 7.
According to current rumours, the series will be on pause for the third week in a row, starting February 5-6, with all filming halted until further notice, while production procedures and rules are subjected to “thorough inspections.”
The King of Tears, directed by Lee Bang Won, tells the storey of Korea’s King Taejong, who helps his father Yi Seong Gye topple the Goryeo Dynasty and create the Joseon Dynasty, only to find themselves fighting for the throne. The prince Bang Won is played by Joo Sang Wook, while Yi Seong Gye is played by Kim Young Chul.
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