Chinese Drama 'Jinsu-gi' Plagiarism Allegations... Plot Similarities with Dae Jang Geum
Hanbok and Samgyeopsal Wraps Appear in Drama, Sparking Northeast Project Criticism
Recently, a claim was posted on an online community that the Disney+ drama 'Jinsugi' features a scene with meat wraps. However, Disney+ denied this, stating that they do not offer content containing such a scene. Photo by Online Community
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] The Chinese drama "Jin Su-gi," released on the online video service (OTT) Disney+, has become embroiled in plagiarism allegations related to the Korean drama "Dae Jang Geum" as well as controversies surrounding the Northeast Project.
Released on April 7 on Disney+, "Jin Su-gi" is accused of plagiarizing the drama "Dae Jang Geum," which sparked the Korean Wave. The story of "Jin Su-gi" follows the protagonist Neung So-so, who dreams of becoming the world's greatest chef. After enduring numerous trials, she enters the royal palace, wins the crown prince's love with her exceptional cooking skills, and falls in love with him.
Critics point out that the storyline is similar to that of "Dae Jang Geum," which aired in 2003, where the main character Jang Geum enters the palace, becomes the top royal chef, and after many hardships, becomes Joseon's first female royal physician.
There are claims that the costumes worn by characters in the Chinese drama 'Jin Su-gi' resemble Hanbok. Photo by Disney+
There are also claims that traditional Korean clothing and food culture appear as Chinese traditional culture in "Jin Su-gi." A netizen who watched the drama shared a scene on an online community showing a woman wearing clothing similar to hanbok grilling samgyeopsal and wrapping it in leaves. This sparked criticism, with many accusing it of being part of China's Northeast Project attempting to appropriate hanbok and ssam culture.
However, Disney+ stated that the meat-wrapping scene circulating on online communities is not part of the content provided by Disney+. Regarding the criticism that the drama is not aired in Korea, they explained, "The availability and schedule of content release vary depending on each country's circumstances and conditions."
Meanwhile, conflicts between China and Korea over hanbok and traditional food are not new. During the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics earlier this year, a woman wearing hanbok was portrayed as a Chinese ethnic minority, drawing criticism. In 2020, the Chinese YouTube channel "Qian Xi Xiao Ge (前西小哥)" introduced ssam culture as part of Chinese food culture, causing controversy. In January 2021, when Korean YouTuber "Hamzy" posted a video eating ssambap, Chinese netizens left malicious comments claiming "kimchi and ssam belong to China."
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