‘Child abuse’ on South Korean reality TV show sparks backlash over ‘mindless content’ in hunt for views
- Angry viewers flooded MBC TV with complaints after ‘Oh Eun-young’s Report: Marriage Hell’ aired footage of a man molesting his seven-year-old stepdaughter
- Experts say such shows operate under the guise of helping people, but in reality are focused on maximising views and competing for advertising revenue
The programmes became hot content during pandemic lockdowns and have since proliferated, with many stations producing shows that focus on toxic marriages and sex, and offer “solutions” from presumed professionals.
Many of South Korea’s largest networks broadcast such shows, including MBN’s Teenage Parents, tvN’s We Cha-cha-cha, Tving’s Between Marriage and Divorce and TV Chosun’s We Got Divorced 2.
But major player MBC TV recently came under fire for airing an episode that included footage of a 36-year-old man sexually molesting his seven-year-old stepdaughter.
Oh Eun-young’s Report: Marriage Hell features psychiatrist Oh Eun-young, with different couples invited on every week to discuss their marital woes.
It’s billed as a “reality-empathy talk show that observes the precarious daily life of couples who say that being together has become hell”.