Netizens Signs The Petition For Termination Of JTBC's Broadcasting Station Ahed Of 2021's “Snowdrop” Controversy

Netizens have signed the potion for the cancellation of the entire JTBC broadcasting station. They believe that such broadcasting stations should not be qualified to operate and should be shut down.

JTBC‘s K-drama Snowdrop received severe criticism for the choice of characters set-up and distorting the history. On 19th December 2021 netizens signed the petition for the cancellation of  Snowdrop which hit over 200,000 signatures. Now, this controversy has led to a petition for the removal of the entire JTBC broadcasting station.

On 23rd December, an official Blue House petition asked for the abolishment of JTBC. The petitioner explained the reason why they believed that the Korean broadcasting station should be removed from the nation, stating that Snowdrop “has been controversial from the planning phase for the distortion of history and for invalidating the democratization movement.”

This is what the Blue House petition says:

The drama glorifies the Ministry of National Security Agency (NSA or An-Gi-Bu), which became an institution of dictatorship. However, in the series, they portray the institution as a place where just people worked, which distorts the history that South Korean people worked for in the democratization movement.

It’s impossible to not laugh at the ridiculous scene where the staff of the NSA returns back to their headquarters quietly after the superintendent of the women’s university dormitory opposed their arrival after they failed to present a warrant.

The NSA was a vicious institution that manipulated espionage cases while failing to give minimum human rights to people. Do you know how many people were tortured and killed in the so-called ‘Namsan?’

Petitioner further added:

South Korea is now following the Republic system that was established through the June 29 Declaration and Constitutional Amendment in 1987. This was accomplished by the people of South Korea themselves, not through the participation of North Korean operatives.

Saying that this Republic system and the Democratic system was created by North Korean spies who intervened, that’s distortion. In addition to that, you beautified the institutions that were created by the government by stating that they came to power through civil and military rebellion. You are denying the 1987 Constitutional System and defending the forces that came to power illegally.

In this next chunk of the petition, the original poster called out JTBC and its origins

When the broadcasting channel was launched back in 2011, they rebranded themselves as JTBC. The channel was a restoration of the former Tongyang (Oriental) Broadcasting System (TBC), which was shut down by the military dictatorship.

But now, you’re airing a drama that glorifies the servants of dictatorship that came to power by causing a civil war.

Such broadcasting stations should not be qualified to operate in South Korea and should be shut down.

The petition was shared into different online communities, where Korean netizens unanimously agreed that the shutdown of JTBC was the best answer to the situation, as thousands of netizens shared their support for the petition.

• “I signed it. Let’s get rid of them.”
• “I signed the petition.”
• “I did it. Let’s go!!!”
• “I hope they disappear.”
• “I agreed with it. Let’s abolish JTBC.”
• “There are so many substitute channels. We don’t need them

While  Snowdrop continues to remain in the epicentre of mass criticisms, JTBC has been attempting to diffuse the fiery situation by revealing their plans to release episodes 3-5 early in an effort to calmthe public’s ongoing uproar.