JTBC K-drama Insider off to a wrong start, receives flak for disrespecting Buddhism

Insider is the latest Korean drama on JTBC starring Kang Ha-neul, and it is already in trouble for reportedly disrespecting Buddhism, one of the major religions practiced in South Korea.

The show premiered on June 8, and so far, just two episodes have been aired. The problematic scene features a man gambling in the first episode. Reportedly, this scene featured Buddhist monks, and one of them even chants a prayer for luck.

This scene has received significant backlash from practicing Buddhists within the country, including the Korean Conference of Religions for Peace.

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Statement from Korean Conference of Religions for Peace about Insider

Addressing the scene on June 9, the Korean Conference of Religions for Peace released a statement. They said,

“An unfortunate event occurred on the drama Insider. In a temple room with a statue of Buddha present, monks are shown gambling a large amount of money for 15 minutes.”

The body also revealed that the broadcast network must apologize for this blatant disrespect. They further added in the statement,

“This can only be seen as a malicious act to smear the religion of Buddhism, as well as dismiss those who follow Buddhism and is a libelous depiction of monks. We formally ask the drama ‘Insider’ to apologize.”

Korean Conference of Religions for Peace is reportedly an orthodox order comprising 30 sects, including the Jogye Order and the Cheontae Order. It must also be noted that the scene converts a court hall into a gambling hall.

The scene itself has received mixed reactions from audiences. A section registered that they felt uncomfortable as they watched the scene unfold. They even claimed this scene crossed a line and was an unnecessary inclusion in the show. However, another section argued that it was essential to protect freedom of speech and let the shows depict scenes they deemed necessary to tell their story.

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What is Insider all about?

The JTBC show, which airs every Wednesday and Thursday, is about a judicial apprentice Kim Yo-han, portrayed by Kang Ha-neul. One of the cases he investigates ends up trapping him, and he is imprisoned as a result of the same. The show captures his journey of finding himself and the cards he could hold to handle his life in prison better.

Insider, consisting of 16 episodes, also stars Oh Soo-yeon as the female lead. It is still too early in the days for viewers to judge if the show is good, but the scandal surrounding it might hinder the show's growth. It must be noted that Chinese actor Fan Bingbing will appear in a cameo role.