"Broadcast Causes Viewer Discomfort Due to Sensational Content"
The Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) has decided to impose a legal sanction of "caution" on JTBC's 'Divorce Reflection Camp: Refresh'.
On the 10th, the KCSC held a plenary meeting at the Broadcasting Hall in Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, and announced that it had decided on legal sanctions for JTBC's 'Divorce Reflection Camp: Refresh' and others, which were criticized for excessively sensationalizing marital conflicts.
'Divorce Reflection Camp' (aired on April 4 last year, etc.) showed a husband verbally abusing his wife while intoxicated and included the husband's excessive demands for sexual relations. It also featured a gynecologist who appeared to counsel on sexual relations between couples, explaining based on personal experience that men's strong sexual desire should be understood.
Regarding this, the KCSC judged that "the broadcast was excessively sensational, causing discomfort to viewers," and "a medical expert appeared and generalized men's sexual desire without objective evidence, which could promote stereotypes about gender roles."
A JTBC representative who attended the statement of opinion said, "We tried to depict the reality faced by ordinary people and showed it to experts, so some content that might be unpleasant appeared," and added, "We will carefully consider the pointed issues and work on improvements."
However, the KCSC unanimously decided on caution. Commissioner Kim Jeong-su criticized, "It is rated for viewers aged 15 and over, but the broadcast language and subtitles are completely inappropriate," and Commissioner Kang Kyung-pil said, "It is unclear what the broadcast aims to achieve." Chairperson Ryu Hee-rim also noted, "Due to the explicit and blatant content negatively affecting viewers, legal sanctions are inevitable."
The KCSC also decided to hear statements from related parties and review JTBC's 'JTBC Newsroom' (aired on July 3 last year, etc.), which reported on an incident where a sports center owner stabbed and killed a subordinate in his 20s with a stick and a 'Japanese sword murder case,' amid complaints that the assault and murder process was excessively sensationalized.
Regarding KBS 1TV's 'KBS News 5' broadcast on January 11, which was accused of switching scenes of pro- and anti-impeachment rallies during coverage of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment protests, making the pro-impeachment rally appear larger through subtitles, the KCSC also decided to hear statements from related parties, stating, "It is necessary to investigate the circumstances and follow-up measures."
The KCSC's decisions are categorized as 'No problem,' administrative guidance stages such as 'Opinion Suggestion' and 'Recommendation,' and legal sanctions including 'Caution,' 'Warning,' 'Program correction/modification/suspension or personnel disciplinary action,' and 'Fines.' Legal sanctions are applied as deduction factors during broadcasters' license renewal or re-approval and are regarded as severe penalties.
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