New K-drama controversy: Lee Minho’s ‘sex and pregnancy’ line draws ire as When the Stars Gossip crashes and burns | Web Series

Further burdening the sinking ship, When the Stars Gossip Episode 6 made matters even worse with a controversial scene with Lee Min Ho at the focus. Viewers didn’t let the issue slip as the show continues to be review-bombed for failing to connect with the audience. The January 19 broadcast particularly drew attention for the worse.

The Boys Over Flowers standout plays Gong Ryong, an obstetrician-gynaecologist (OBGYN) who was raised by a group of female bar hostesses. Despite his upbringing, Min Ho’s character has been heavily criticised for his “outdated” perspective on several accounts.

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The latest trip down inappropriate remarks saw the character declaring, “When it comes to sex and pregnancy, I’m the expert,” per Netflix’s official English subtitles. Given his professional expertise, Gong Ryong was doing his bit to reassure Eve Kim (Gong Hyo Jin) of his stance on two mice potentially mating with each other. However, it was an indirect dig at Lee’s character as well.

Viewers criticise Lee Min Ho’s dialogue in When the Stars Gossip Episode 6

Torched as “unnecessary” and “inappropriate,” the line especially drew ire from Korean-speaking audiences, who deemed the choice of words “insulting to gynaecologists.” Probing the lewd undercurrents of the dialogue, a viewer said, “It feels like the writer thinks constantly throwing around the word ‘sex’ makes them seem cool… but listening to the lines, there’s nothing cool about it. It’s so forced and outdated, ugh,” per AllKpop

Another wrote on the Korean online community platform TheQoo, “Couldn’t they have phrased it as ‘I’m an expert in sex and pregnancy’? Was it really necessary to say ‘having sex and making someone pregnant’? Even if ‘and’ was meant as a simple conjunction, it comes off as crass. Even if artificial insemination was referred to as ‘making someone pregnant,’ it’s still too vulgar. Why? Did that male character really need to be so crude and unpleasant? Was that kind of portrayal essential to the story?”

A third user couldn’t help but express their anxieties around male gynaecologists’ POV: “Do male gynaecologists really have this kind of mindset when treating patients?”

Same issue in previous episodes

Lee Min Ho’s character in When the Stars Gossip has been the target of criticism even before. In previous episodes, his remarks about women’s bodies were severely disapproved of.

One of these controversial lines was paired with visuals of childbirth: “The uterus of my mother and the aunties were like alcohol but were comfortable and warm. The breasts of my aunts were drenched in cigarettes but were very big and safe.”

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In another instance, Gong Ryong was seen confronting men at the hostess bar for their crude behaviour. However, his response also turned out to be equally problematic, as he said, “ You have to pay if you fooled around with pretty women,” euphemistically insinuating visions of illegal prostitution. What ticked off viewers more than anything else was the fact that the latest K-drama’s screenwriter is a woman, too: Seo Sook Hyang – also behind KBS2’s Iron Family.

Ongoing When the Stars Gossip backlash

In addition to the fiery backlash the show has invited for its twisted dialogues, audiences have even questioned the point of When the Stars Gossip being a drama set in space when the setting has played little to no role in developing the storyline.

Some have even taken an issue with the leading pair’s chemistry, or the lack thereof. The discomfort attached to their connection, owing to the infidelity subplot, has also warded off a considerable chunk of viewers. On the contrary, others have also defended the case, vouching for the actors’ performance.

Then, of course, the most contested issue: When the Stars Gossip viewership ratings. The highest the series has earned so far is 3.883% (nationwide average of Episode 2), and the lowest is 1.8% (Episode 5). The latest entry dated January 19, i.e. Episode 6, though slightly higher than the previous score, hasn’t achieved any miracles either with a 2.9% rating. Even with six episodes already in the tank, the tvN romance has ended up being a weighty disappointment despite its weightless surroundings.