“KBS has triggered criticism from viewers by mistakenly displaying an inverted Korean flag during its broadcast on the occasion of the 79th Liberation Day. The network aired a weather forecast before the live broadcast of the ’79th Liberation Day Ceremony’ and showed a character holding a flag with the positions of Geon (☰) and Li (☲) reversed on the flag, along with Gon (☷) and Gam (☵) switched positions.
Viewers who saw the incorrectly positioned flag during the broadcast expressed their disapproval, with comments such as “It must be harder to make such a mistake,” “KBS should be shut down,” and “It’s incredible that they made such a mistake on this day of all days, Liberation Day.” The portrayal of the flag in the reversed positions sparked a wave of criticism online.
Prior to this incident, KBS had already faced backlash from viewers for broadcasting the opera ‘Butterfly Lady’ during the anniversary broadcast, containing elements such as kimigayo, the national anthem of Japan, in scenes depicting a wedding ceremony with kimono-clad characters set in Nagasaki, Japan in the 1900s.
Viewers took to KBS’s viewer board to express their anger, demanding accountability from the public broadcaster and criticizing the airing of ‘Butterfly Lady’ as an insult. The backlash has led to numerous petitions being filed, with over 10 petitions on the KBS viewer petition board calling for a public apology from the network and expressing a refusal to pay television subscription fees until the situation is addressed.
Amidst the controversy, viewers are questioning KBS’s status as a public broadcaster and demanding a rectification of the situation. The network’s actions have drawn heavy criticism and scrutiny from the public.”