Major Accident Prevention Association: "Not Just a Dramatic Device, But Social Regression"
"Safety Is the Foundation of Society... Demanding an Explanation from the Broadcaster"
Certain scenes from the JTBC drama 'The Story of Manager Kim Who Owns a House in Seoul and Works at a Large Corporation' have been criticized for distorting the role of industrial safety managers and undermining the dignity of the profession.
On November 15, the Korea Association for Major Accident Prevention issued an official statement on its website, stating, "While the drama borrows from real-life social controversies, it trivializes the meaning and value of safety," and added, "This is not merely a dramatic device, but a message that leads to social regression." The association demanded an explanation and an expression of regret from the broadcaster.
The controversial scene depicts the protagonist, Kim Naksu (played by Ryu Seung-ryong), who had been rising through the ranks as an executive at a large corporation, being suddenly reassigned as the head of the on-site safety management team after failing to resolve an issue related to internet speed.
JTBC drama 'The Story of Manager Kim Who Owns a House in Seoul and Works at a Large Corporation'. Baro Entertainment
The association criticized this as "portraying the safety management role as a punitive demotion, depicting it as a 'dead-end job' for employees pushed out from headquarters." It specifically pointed out that the narrative mirrors the real-world pattern of shifting responsibility for crises onto others, which has been repeatedly observed in industrial settings.
Furthermore, in episode 5, the association argued that safety management work was caricatured as menial tasks such as cleaning up dog waste or unclogging toilets. It also claimed that the depiction of advice like "just fill out the safety checklist carelessly" undermined professional ethics. In episode 6, scenes repeatedly showed on-site workers mocking or dismissing the legitimate concerns of the safety team leader, leading to further criticism that the authority and status of safety experts were portrayed as unnecessary.
Association President Jeong Sangmin pointed out, "While the drama seeks a high level of realism by referencing the 2021 internet speed controversy involving a major telecommunications company, its attitude toward safety is less credible than fiction." He emphasized, "Safety is not a destination for demotion, but the foundation of society, and the worksite is not a dead-end post but the front line of life."
The association called on JTBC to clearly explain the intent behind the problematic scenes and settings, and urged that, going forward, all dramas and entertainment programs featuring industrial sites or safety management roles be required to undergo verification by industrial safety experts. It also announced plans to publish 'Media Guidelines for Industrial Site Safety Awareness' within the year, and to hold a 'Safety Culture Media Forum' in 2026, where members of the broadcasting industry and industrial safety experts will discuss these issues together.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
