Leaked email shows JTBC threatening strong legal action over 'Snowdrop' scandal + clarifies "Chinese" references

Article: Warning of 'Seolganghwa' “Slander and fabrication" → "hard-line response”

Source: Sports Kyunghyang

JTBC has announced a strong hard line response to protect 'Seolganghwa.' 

On the 30th, a leaked email sent to various online communities including The Qoo, Clien, and Ppomppu showed JTBC threatening strong legal action over malicious comments. JTBC wrote, "We're suffering enormous damage from the spread of false information over the drama 'Seolganghwa'. We intend to take strong measures to protect the rights of creators, broadcasters and our content."

"JTBC pursues creative freedom and independence as its core values in content production and organization and properly respects the rights of content consumers to include any sound criticism and free interpretation of the content. However, recently, false facts and baseless accusations about 'Seolganghwa' that are different from actual drama content have been continuously and repeatedly circulated. The synopsis was leaked in early stages of production and malicious edits that re-crafted the plot were circulated. Even to this day, false acts misleading public opinion are continuing."

Therefore, we're disclosing the following content clarifications. Please note that we will take strong measures against baseless slander and fabricated facts that are not related to the setting of the drama. Also, please refrain from excessive personal attacks on the production team and cast members. 

1. A spy leads (participates in) the democratization movement.
• There's no such content from episodes 1-16
2. A spy disguises himself as a student activist and infiltrates the movement
• There's no such content from episodes 1-16
3. The drama is a love story between an activist college student and a spy.
• The female protagonist (Young-ro) is not a student of the activism movement.
4. History was distorted by linking espionage and the democratization movement (May 18th, June Uprising etc.)
• The drama was not produced under the backdrop of the democratization movement and it's not a historical documentary about it. 
• The appearance of spies comes from the setting that the South Korean government has brought in North Korea for a presidential campaign.
• The democratization movement is not a backdrop of espionage.
5. The cathedral was used as a meeting place for spies therefore we disparaged the 'Myeongdong Cathedral' which has a history with the democratization movement.
• The confession scene in 4th episode wasn't filmed at 'Myeongdong Cathedral'
• A spy went undercover to intimidate an influential figure in the South (Professor Han Yi-seop). It's not a "tangential connection" that was agreed upon by both sides.
• The professor visits for the confession service and he's allegedly heard saying "It's been a month since I confessed." This is a distorted twist.
• The claims over the scene where Lim Su-ho summons Han Yi-seop to the confession room or the place of contact' are clearly disseminating false information.
6. The Ministry of Security's remarks "Our company's employees should protect the lives of the public rather that its employees," is a glorification of the NSA.
• This is a line following the sudden shooting of an employee who's trying to save a colleague who's a former lover in a hostage situation.
• Also, the words the character that appears as father of female protagonist (Young-ro - Jisoo) says are simply to hide his worries about his daughter.
7. We took in Chinese money therefore produced the drama to fit Tencent's agenda.
• They didn't invest in any specific content and the investment does not interfere with the direction of the production.
• Tencent invested 100 billion won in JTBC Studios through a paid-in capital increase by a third party (December 29, 2020).
• The investment contract was crafted after the script's production was completed and filming began. (Casting was June 2020, script reading on October 5, 2020 and first filming was November 2, 2020). 
8. The 'Mahjong' scene, which was rare in that time period, was added due to Chinese money.
• As clarified in #7, there were classes, both legal and political circles in the 1980s, that enjoyed playing Mahjong. 
9. The drama title 'Seolganghwa' has Chinese connotations.
• 'Seolganghwa' is a daffodil plant that's recommended in the National Arboretum's National Standard Plant list.
• 'Seolganghwa' and 'Snowdrop (English)' titles were selected to promote the drama locally and abroad. (Again this is a plant recommended from the National Standard Plant list).

1. [+1,074, -92] I'm never watching JTBC ever again!!
2. [+1,052, -81] They're basically saying their distortions aren't distortions and are coming out with strong legal stance. They should've done things right in the first place. So what's the point of having viewers... are we not allowed to criticize content they put out? Just say you could care less about the viewers and wanted to do whatever you wanted. Looks like that was their attitude when they chose to continue filming this.  
3. [+948, -54] The can't read the atmosphere at all or why viewers are pissed off by this drama. There's a reason why JTBC dramas always get into scandalsㅋ
4. [+496, -9] ??? : Misunderstanding?? Watch episode 1 then talk -> watch episode 3, 4, 5 and then say something -> don’t tell us to shut our mouths!!
5. [+387, -10] Shut our mouths..ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ is this the 70s?
6. [+316, -6] I'm seriously glad this drama didn't air on tvNㅋㅋ. If it was tvN, I would've put up a fight in tears trying to boycott the network but since it's JTBC I could care lessㅋㅋ
7. [+277, -7] They're the ones that drew similar references in the drama themselves but are denying it to this level? So they added in a Chinese Mahjong game but didn't sell out to China? Denying it this hard is basically an admission in itself. 
8. [+215, -9] They distorted history on their own and now that it won't get censored they got loud all of a sudden 커ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋSeolganghwa is a kkotbaem ilbe dramaㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ what exactly are they going to sue for? 
9. [+199, -10] Ah ~ As expected of JTBC ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
   
10. [+147, -4] The Ministry of National Security left after he was asked for a warrant ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Additional source(s): Sports DongA, iMBC, Pann