Hyun Seo and Ok Taec-yeon Drama "All Filming at Seowon Heritage Site to Be Discarded"

Bingdae marks left by the KBS drama filming crew on Mandae-roo at Byeongsan Seowon. Provided by Andong City

Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) has decided to discard the footage of its new KBS2 drama "I Took the Male Lead's First Night" that caused controversy for damaging the UNESCO World Heritage site Byeongsan Seowon.

On the 15th, KBS announced that it would not use the scenes filmed at Byeongsan Seowon in the drama, following requests from Andong City Hall and the Cultural Heritage Administration. Accordingly, all footage shot against the backdrop of Byeongsan Seowon, including the scene where nails were hammered into the pillars of Mandaeru, will be removed. KBS stated, "We will issue a separate apology when the drama airs," and added, "We will create and utilize filming guidelines for future dramas."

The drama production team hammered nails into about 10 places, including eight spots on the Mandaeru pillar beams and two on the Dongjae beams, while filming at Byeongsan Seowon in Andong, Gyeongbuk, on December 30 last year. Byeongsan Seowon is Historic Site No. 260 and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Among them, Mandaeru is designated as a treasure. It features the simple and restrained characteristics of mid-Joseon Dynasty architecture. A citizen filed a complaint against KBS through the National Sinmungo, citing Article 92 (Crimes of Damage or Concealment) Paragraph 1 of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act.

View of Byeongsan Seowon. National Heritage Agency National Heritage Portal

At the time, KBS said, "However, the installation of props was reviewed by the Byeol-yusa, who manages Byeongsan Seowon, and filming was conducted in the presence of the Byeol-yusa," but also apologized, saying, "We are sorry for causing concern to our viewers." They further promised, "In the future, when filming at cultural properties, historic sites, or relics, we will consult experts or film under their supervision."

The drama is a romance fantasy about Cha Seonchaek (Seo Hyun), a minor character in a novel inhabited by a female college student's spirit, spending a night with the protagonist Gyeongseong-gun (Ok Taec-yeon). It is created by PD Lee Woong-hee, who co-directed "By Chance, You" (2023), and writer Jeon Seon-young of "Oh! Young-shim" (2023).