Expert says it’s too early to judge if ‘Snowdrop’ actually distorts history

A professor of Korean language and literature has said that it is too early to judge the historical accuracy of the upcoming K-drama series Snowdrop.

• READ MORE: ‘Snowdrop’ starring Jisoo of BLACKPINK: release date, plot details, cast and everything we know so far

In a new interview with The Korean Times, professor Yun Suk-jin, who teaches at the Chungnam National University and is also a drama critic, said that it is too early to conclude whether the forthcoming series distorts history.

Earlier this year, Showdrop had faced backlash from some Korean citizens over the potential representation of the forthcoming show’s characters and setting, which would deal with South Korea’s movement for democracy in the 1980s. At the time, over 200,000 people signed a petition to Korea’s Blue House calling for a halt to the production of Snowdrop, per The Korea Herald.

“This is a sensitive issue, but as of now, we have too little information with which to judge the series, which has not even aired its first episode,” said Yun. “It goes without saying that writers and directors should take extra care and be more responsible when they are referring to a historical event in their work. But their artistic freedom must be guaranteed as well.”

Yun also compared the situation to controversial 2021 SBS series Joseon Exorcist, which had been cancelled after two episodes aired, after viewers boycotted it for “twisting history”, per Korea Times.

“Joseon Exorcist caused a stir after airing its first episode and people raised issues with particular scenes. This was something understandable,” Yun added. “But in the case of Snowdrop, we have not yet seen the drama.”

Snowdrop is set in 1987, a pivotal year in the South Korea’s history that saw a nationwide mass movement that forced the ruling government to hold elections. Su-ho (played by Jung Hae-in) is a graduate student with a secret past, while Young-ro (BLACKPINK‘s Jisoo) is a university student who lives in an all-female dormitory.

Snowdrop is slated to premiere on December 18 at 10:30pm KST on JTBC. The series will also be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ as part of the platform’s forthcoming expansion into Asia-Pacific content.

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