JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
KBS under fire for airing Japanese opera on 79th National Liberation Day of South Korea; Apologizes for ‘negligence’
Korean Broadcasting System also known as KBS Network has caused a massive public outrage in South Korea after airing a Japanese opera on National Liberation Day.
Similar to India, both North and South Korea observe Independence Day on August 15, referred to as National Liberation Day in Korea. Unfortunately, this year's festivities were overshadowed by a controversial decision made by KBS, a leading broadcasting channel in the nation. The network chose to air the Japanese opera Madame Butterfly, which sparked significant backlash.
According to Sports World’s report, at midnight of August 15, National Liberation Day of South Korea, KBS network aired Madame Butterfly, a Japanese opera set in the 29th century.
This Liberation Day celebrates the 79th anniversary of South Korea's establishment. More significantly, it honors the moment when the country was freed from 35 years of Japanese colonial domination. As a result, KBS broadcasting faced considerable backlash.
Now, the channel has issued an official apology, taking responsibility for their negligent actions.
According to their statement, the performance of Madame Butterfly was recorded on June 29. Although there were plans to air it in July, due to the Paris Olympic schedule it had to be delayed.
KBS further said that their station’s production staff failed to examine the contents of the program and the timeliness of the airing. They apologized for causing a disturbance on such a meaningful day.
At the same time, the representative stated that they vow to keep check so such an occurrence never happens again. They also plan to investigate the matter fully and ensure that those who have partaken in such careless behavior will face full responsibility for their actions.
Meanwhile, after this mishap caused outrage, KBS has postponed the airing of Madame Butterfly 2 until further notice.
Madame Butterfly is an opera set in 19th-century Japan. It narrates a tragic love story between a geisha and a U.S. Army captain. Written by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, this opera performance was recorded on the stage of the Seoul Arts Center in June for KBS broadcasting. There is a bunch of reasons why the program caused outrage apart from the time of airing.
Most singers along with the female protagonist wear kimonos in this opera, a traditional Japanese garment. During the wedding scene between the two leads, the Japanese anthem makes an appearance along with a few military songs.
ALSO READ: Kim Young Dae, Park Ju Hyun’s mystery K-drama Perfect Family premieres with strong ratings
Latest Articles
