The SBS Friday-Saturday drama Would You Marry Me is currently enjoying peak popularity, but it has come under fire for a controversial scene involving illegal filming, sparking viewer backlash and even formal complaints to Korea’s broadcasting regulatory body.
In episode 6, aired on October 25, a scene featured Dr. Yoon Jin-kyung (played by Shin Seul-ki) performing CPR on a citizen who collapsed from cardiac arrest while exercising in a park. During the life-saving effort, a bystander secretly films her, prompting Baek Sang-hyun (played by Bae Nara) to intervene. He hands her a coat for modesty, takes over the CPR, and confronts the voyeur.
Baek then seizes the man’s phone, deletes the footage, and says, “Illegal filming is punishable by up to 7 years in prison or a 50 million KRW fine. I’m letting you off since it’s your first offense but don’t expect leniency next time.”
This portrayal drew heavy criticism from viewers. Many found it problematic that such a serious crime was treated so lightly, especially when Baek arbitrarily decided not to report the offender to police. Viewers pointed out that it’s inappropriate for a third party to “forgive” the criminal on behalf of the victim, especially in a sexual crime context.
Initially, SBS uploaded the scene on its official YouTube channel with the title “Gold Spoon Hidden Camera Offender Filmed Shin Seul-ki, Bae Nara Delivers Justice”. However, after backlash intensified, the video was made private. Some viewers argued that calling the confrontation “justice” downplayed the gravity of the crime.
Formal complaints were submitted to the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), with many expressing concern on SBS’s viewer message board. One complaint noted: “Even though the victim is a woman, the male character determines the severity and resolution of the case. This not only inflicts secondary harm on victims but even glorifies the perpetrator.”
Another stated, “This is a violation of broadcasting ethics. Please ensure such content does not recur.”
As of now, SBS has not released an official statement addressing the issue.
Despite the controversy, Would You Marry Me continues to be a hit. The romantic comedy follows a 90-day fake newlywed life between Kim Woo-joo (Choi Woo-shik) and Yoo Me-ri (Jung So-min), who enter a sham marriage to win a luxury newlywed house giveaway. Episode 6 achieved a peak viewership rating of 9.7%, according to Nielsen Korea.
Sources: wikitree