Disney+ Show "Fate War 49" Issues Second Apology Over Insulting Fallen Heroes... "We Will Strengthen Production Processes"

Sacrifice of Police Officers and Firefighters Who Died in the Line of Duty Demeaned with Slang... Outrage from Bereaved Families and Public Officials
Production Team: "We Apologize for the Inappropriate Depictions... We Failed to Consider the Feelings of the Bereaved Families"

The production team of the Disney+ show "Fate War 49," which sparked controversy for desecrating the deceased by using the causes of death of police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty as a mission topic, has once again bowed its head in apology.

In a statement released on the 24th, they said, "We sincerely apologize to the bereaved families, colleagues, and everyone who was distressed by the use of inappropriate language and depictions during a fortune-telling segment involving a shamanic practitioner."

They went on to say, "We are currently listening closely to the bereaved families and working toward an apology and resolution," adding, "We will significantly strengthen our internal review and production processes going forward to prevent a recurrence of such an incident."

Episode 2 of "Fate War 49," released on February 11, was heavily criticized for turning the noble sacrifice of public authority into a form of entertainment. In a segment where the cast had to guess the cause of death of the late Sergeant Lee Jaehyun, who died in the line of duty in 2004 while apprehending a suspect, one participant used the vulgar slang term "kal-ppang" (slang for being stabbed), and the production team aired it without any filtering.

In response, the National Police Workplace Council protested, saying, "We are appalled by this senseless behavior that demeans the sacrifice of public officials who died in the line of duty and uses it as a source of amusement."

The controversy did not end there. In the same episode, the show aired without editing a scene in which the cast members indiscriminately speculated about the possibilities of collapse and crushing as the cause of death of the late Fire Sergeant Kim Cheolhong, who died in the line of duty at a fire scene in Hongje-dong in 2001. The production team, which had initially maintained the explanation that they had obtained the consent of the bereaved families from the outset, ultimately lowered their heads as the criticism grew.