Smoking and Drinking... Could Alcohol and Tobacco Depictions in Dramas and Variety Shows Have Harmful Effects? [Kim Ga-yeon's Perspective Twist]

From Dramas to Webtoons... Exposure to Drinking and Smoking Scenes Across Various Media
Some Viewers Express Concerns Over Negative Impact of Drinking and Smoking Depictions
Ministry of Health and Welfare Established Media Drinking Scene Guidelines in 2017

Citizens are smoking cigarettes in the smoking area of Incheon International Airport. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Viewers continue to criticize scenes of drinking and smoking depicted in media such as dramas, variety shows, and movies. Due to the wide reach and influence of mass media, there are concerns that such scenes may negatively affect minors, non-smokers, and non-drinkers who watch them. Viewers have pointed out the need for at least minimal measures, such as inserting warning messages.

From drinking alone ('honsul') to drinking at home ('homsul'), enjoyable drinking gatherings with friends, and company dinners where colleagues clink glasses, drinking scenes are easily found in programs accessible to anyone through TV.

In particular, with the increase of observational variety shows like SBS's "My Ugly Duckling" and MBC's "I Live Alone," drinking scenes have become more frequently seen in entertainment programs.

Smoking scenes are not much different. Smoking is often depicted in dramas or movies when characters face conflicts or worries.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and the National Smoking Cessation Support Center of the Korea Health Promotion Institute on the 6th, an investigation was conducted on 23 dramas, 67 movies, 41 webtoons, and tobacco-related YouTube videos from July 2018 to June last year. It was found that smoking scenes were frequently exposed across all media. Among 41 webtoons (totaling 9,384 episodes) serialized on major portal sites (Naver, Daum), 29 (70.7%) included scenes involving cigarettes or smoking.

Citizens are clinking beer glasses. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

The MOHW and the Korea Health Promotion Institute established the "Media Drinking Scene Guidelines for the Spread of Moderate Drinking Culture" in 2017 and have been monitoring based on these guidelines.

The guidelines include ▲minimizing drinking scenes and excluding them unless absolutely necessary ▲avoiding positive portrayals of drinking ▲carefully depicting drinking scenes involving celebrities considering their influence ▲refraining from depicting harmful drinking behaviors such as binge drinking or intoxication ▲avoiding scenes that disregard personal autonomy regarding drinking.

Although the government monitors scenes that may cause adverse effects from the viewers' perspective, such as drinking scenes on broadcasts, some programs still air them without filtering, drawing criticism. Viewers may become curious or unconsciously accept these scenes positively without critical thinking.

A 22-year-old university student, A, said, "Isn't it common for viewers to order chicken impulsively just because a variety show shows someone eating chicken?" He raised his voice, saying, "It's absurd to think that such influence wouldn't apply to alcohol or cigarettes."

A added, "I believe freedom of expression is important, of course. But since mass media greatly influences viewers' perceptions and ways of thinking, it should take responsibility for that. I think minimal measures should be in place, such as removing unnecessary drinking and smoking scenes or broadcasting related warning messages without infringing on freedom of expression."

A 27-year-old office worker, B, also criticized, saying, "Sometimes variety shows show celebrities' homes and flaunt 'how much alcohol they stockpile and drink.' Drinking as an adult is a personal choice, but media portraying this as something good or boastful is a completely different issue."

Meanwhile, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) imposed legal sanctions in April on a broadcast scene where characters in a drama repeatedly drank bomb cocktails in a drinking contest, citing concerns that it could promote drinking culture.

The KCSC stated, "Broadcasts have an obligation to protect children and adolescents from harmful content such as drinking and profanity," and "airing such content without filtering during youth protection viewing hours or restricted alcohol advertisement times clearly violates related review regulations, making legal sanctions unavoidable."

Additionally, a drama that aired binge drinking scenes received a legal sanction of 'caution' from the KCSC. According to the KCSC, tvN's "Cheap Cheonlima Mart" included about 4 minutes and 30 seconds of binge drinking scenes, such as repeatedly drinking bomb cocktails, in the episode aired on November 15 last year. The drama was rated suitable for viewers aged 15 and older.