The Controversial Horror K-Drama That Was Canceled After Two Episodes

Horror K-dramas, the common term for South Korean scripted horror TV shows, have become enormously popular worldwide, including titles like the supernatural thriller "Hellbound" and zombie series "All of Us Are Dead." However, they've also managed to attract controversy, particularly from discerning Korean audiences, based on narrative elements and production details. One particular horror K-drama, "Joseon Exorcist," was even canceled right after the medieval series debuted in March 2021. Because of the public backlash to the show's historical content, including its contentious props, only two episodes of "Joseon Exorcist" were ever released before it was pulled off the air.

Set in the early 15th century, during the reign of King Taejong of the Joseon Dynasty, "Joseon Exorcist" reimagines Taejong (Kam Woo-sung) and his sons as supernatural warriors. In order to defend their kingdom, Taejong and the two princes vanquish demons and other monsters looking to plunge Joseon into ruin. Hence, in an effort to overwhelm the Joseon Kingdom, the demons raise an army of the undead and begin targeting the royal family. The early episodes of the series also hinted at courtly romance in addition to supernatural horror, primarily between Prince Chungnyung (Jang Dong-yoon) and a young woman named Eo-ri (Lee Yu-bi).

16 episodes were reportedly planned in all, though the production wasn't quite finished by the time "Joseon Exorcist" was canceled.

The depiction of Taejong slaughtering innocent villagers and of Chungnyung, widely regarded as Korea's greatest medieval ruler, being treated poorly by non-Korean visitors was too much for Korean audiences. However, it was the inclusion of clearly visible Chinese cuisine and other Chinese-style props that was seen by Korean viewers as especially problematic. During this period of its medieval history, the Korean national identity was firmly taking hold, including the introduction of its official alphabet by Chungnyung, which is still in use today. As such, the inclusion of Chinese props and paraphernalia was perceived as an insult to that enduring legacy.

Nearly 4,000 complaints flooded the Korea Communications Standards Commission shortly after the series premiered, calling for the show's cancellation. As backlash mounted, corporate sponsors pulled their support for "Joseon Exorcist," as did municipal governments involved in its continuing production. Four days after the series premiere, SBS TV announced it was canceling "Joseon Exorcist" and would not air the remaining completed episodes, with approximately 80% of its planned filming finished by that point. Despite non-Korean fan petitions for the remaining episodes to be released online, only those first two episodes ever saw public release.

While alternate history shows have enjoyed a warm reception in Korea, most notably with "Kingdom," "Joseon Exorcist" could never escape its controversy. To date, there's still no official word on how well "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" was received in Korea.