Kimsamsoom

Yup, Disney+ has publicly stated that they are spending major $ in creating it's own Asian content and etc... But they are years away from where Netflix are now.

Disney+ subscriptions have actually been dropping and they are steadily losing market shares to other streaming competitors like Amazon, Youtube, Apple TV.

I have Disney+ myself, and they are seriously lacking in content, not just Asian content, but content in general.

Disney+ can do it, but they really need to get TVN on their side.

I read that the controversy started when Rumors of what the plot would be surfaced noh?

I mean for me, it's not a major controversy. It's not like they inserted a sexual assault scene, or something like that.

It's a heavily debated controversy that literally stirs the pot and is meant to create huge online buzz. Otherwise, why add it to the story?

Like I said, I highly doubt one bad drama, controversial or not will destroy so many careers. It's literally a blip in their career nothing more than that.

Just because a writer has written many hit dramas or has a lot of fans, doesn't mean they can't suddenly employ this type of controversial marketing strategy. Even the best have their weak points.

Plus a majority of these actors, especially Jisoo are way too popular to have one black mark ruin their careers.

Just my opinion, they could have written the story without it being this particular timeline, or historical backdrop, but chose to delve deep into it instead. Shows me that they wanted the controversy to be part of the discussion at the very least, or create a discussion about it.

This is no different that propaganda films from China making you question the blackness or whiteness of certain characters.

Yes, you are right, it's possible, it being flooded by Blackpink haters and etc...

But also entirely possible that a good chunk of it are actual koreans who feel affronted, eventhough the numbers have been manipulated.

Snowdrop isn't on Netflix nor is it on Disney+ US/Canada.

And Disney+ isn't exactly the number one choice for Kdramas as they have a very tiny collection in comparison to Netflix.

I'm not saying JTBC doesn't have streaming power, just that this particular drama isn't funded by Netflix nor is it on Netflix. Which I thought was weird considering Netflix just did the Black Pink documentary.

So most people will not be able to see Snowdrop, unless they want go to streaming sites, which most people feel is a barrier to watch. But not with the controversy being as hot as it is, some people may just do that.

It's like writing about Tiananmen Square, or the Massacre of Nanjing, or any other bloody kudetas in history. They are very sensitive topics, and it's near impossible to write about those without it being controversial.

Even documentaries, which are written to be "factual" become controversial in how they edit it, how sympathetic they made the villain to be and etc...

It's near impossible that this writer wrote about this, or made the plot without knowing it won't be controversial. Unless of course the writer does not know anything about history. But the show is based on 1987, the writer was already alive and aware of what is happening, no way she doesn't know that this will not be controversial.

I think ruining her career over one badly written drama is a bit extreme. If you are a fan of her writing, you will continue to be even if she wrote one controversial drama. But to me at least, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth, that they would employ this strategy.

In this particular marketing strategy, nobody ever admits to wanting it, they always pretend they don't want it. But it's free press, it's online buzz, of course JTBC is secretly loving it.

That's the danger of Twitter or any social forums. People read one opinion piece, and form their opinions based on that, and they they retweet and it spreads.

That's the point, you can create good dramas, with historical timeline as merely a backdrop. And with a well written plot, it can be successful on it's own merit.

I disagree, I find in western/eastern shows, controversy and drama really sells well. Look no further than "Reality Shows" on Netflix. They know what sells.

I think the only bad publicity I have found that doesn't do well is sexual assault controversies. With the rise of the #metoo movement, this has just become too much of a sensitive topic.

But for a controversial topic like a pro-democratic movement against an authotarian regime? Yes please!

They are aiming to gain as much popularity as possible since they lack the international exposure due to lack of proper streaming rights, and it's frankly sad they had to resort to this.

does it matter?

People from all over the world are allowed to stand up to what they feel is injustice.

So are we not to say anything about racism is some countries, because we are not from that country? Doesn't make sense. Globalization has allowed us to be involved in the wrongs happenings in any part of the world. Why do we need to be citizens of said country, to stand and be united with protestors from that country?

I wasn't aware that citizenship was a requirement to stand up for the unjust.

JHI I doubt will be affected by this one.

And Jisoo is just way too popular to be brought down by one controversial drama that was not in her control.

Jisoo frankly doesn't need Kdrama or Movies to cement her popularity, whether or not she stars in highly rated dramas won't matter much IMO.

I think because a lot of international are from Asia, they are responding as if it was their own cultural history being distorted.

AFAIK, most Asian countries has had bloody Kudeta's in one way or another where democracy was squashed by some sort of militaristic regime. So it could be a put yourself in their shoes type of situation.

Similar to people who react aggressively to human rights infractions in other countries. Or discrimination in another. You don't need to be from that country to be offended by what is happening there. The globalization of the world has made backyards much smaller, and noses much longer.

It's amazing! Never understood the controversy surrounding it, the fantasy element it had made it very fictional.

This reminds me of Mel Gibson's show, The Passion of Christ. When rumors circulated that this was being made, you can just imagine the backlash. The backlash of that movie, makes Snowdrop backlash tiny in comparison.

They tried everything to stop it, it showed up in many news articles and discussion group. It created A LOT of buzz and controversy, and it made people, who have never heard of it, or planned to watch it, suddenly want to watch it.

Using positive hype to promote a drama is ok in my book. Using controversy and negative hype to promote a drama is just poor form.

The writers knew ahead of time, this would cause controversy, and still went ahead. They knew what they were doing, and knew the controversy would create a lot of buzz for their dramas, that in this era creates into more views.

Sickening marketing strategy IMO.

This is flawed reasoning actually.

There is a petition to stop China Concentration Camp. 1.5M people globally has signed. Does this mean the remaining 7 Billion of people globally just don't care?

JTBC are fishermen.

They laid the "Bait" in form of controversy.

They then lured all the people who are offended, that will surely watch.

Then, they tease, if you really want to see if we are controversial, or distorted history, you will just have to watch.

Pretty sad, and made me lose respect here.

Like I know, JTBC isn't as big as TVN, and don't have Netflix Contract, but this is not the way to get it.

JTBC knew what they are doing, using controversy to sell their drama. They knew that using this particular timeline would cost controversy, giving them literally free publicity.

Imagine a writer wrote a romanticization of Tiananmen square, and saying "Oh, that's controversial?"

I believe these writers/director knew exactly what they are doing. It's sad really.

In kdrama land these days, controversies are being used to sell. So if the controversies succeeds in making people find ways to watch the drama with the absence of Netflix and Disney+, then they win, and prove that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

I would like to weigh in on this situation. Political opinions aside, it really disgust me what the writers, directors and JTBC are doing here. And I am sure they are 100% aware of it.

I have gotten weary of these Korean dramas using controversy to sell their dramas. If a drama is written well, with great acting, chemistry, and plot, it would not need to cheapen itself by gaining buzz through controversy. In some of the dramas I've seen lately, controversy seems to be a great marketing tool to get people against the drama and for the drama to watch in droves to prove their ephemeral POV's.

The fact that the director/writer has used this marketing technique to sell their drama, has really left a sour taste in my mouth. I refuse to believe that they could not create a well written drama during that era, without adding the political landscape to the love story. Many stories and dramas from many different cultures have used controversial era's and backdrops, as simply a backdrop, to give the viewers a mental note of the political landscape at the time of the story. Snowdrop on the other hand, allowed the political landscape to not only undermine the love story, but allowed it to dominate the minds of even the most casual of viewers. It's almost as if we are unable to enjoy the drama without subconsciously choosing a side.

With regards to the distortion of history. I personally feel, the writers should have Fictionalized the story even more, similar to how Mr. Queen added a body switching fantasy to it's plot to alienate it further from the history it was trying to romanticize. But for Snowdrop to quite closely stick to the actual events of history runs the danger of it being seen as more of a biographical drama than a completely fictional one.

I personally will attempt to watch the drama, and try to enjoy the drama on it's merits. But it certainly won't stop that thought in the back of my mind, how the writer/director attempted to use sadistic controversy to get buzz to sell it's drama.