The SBS drama 'Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia,' starring Kim Ji-won, has become embroiled in a controversy over the legality of installing a bus stop for filming purposes. This is the second issue to arise, following controversy over the drama's content dealing with the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

Gwangju Buk District Office Receives Complaint via Civil Petition Portal

According to Sports Kyunghyang on the 27th, the Safety and Traffic Bureau of the Gwangju Buk District Office received a civil petition regarding the drama filming bus stop sign installed in front of the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery. The petition requests confirmation of whether the facility was installed through lawful procedures under the Road Act.

The Scene in Question... Actual Stop Located About 350 Meters Away

The controversial scene appeared in the sixth episode, which aired on the 24th. In the drama, the No. 518 bus was shown stopping at a bus stop in front of the 'Gate of Democracy,' the main entrance to the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery. However, the actual bus stop is reportedly located about 350 meters away from the Gate of Democracy. The bus stop sign shown in the broadcast was reportedly a mobile filming facility with a square pipe-shaped stand.

'No Road Occupancy Permit Application or Prior Consultation'

The key issue is whether the administrative procedures required for installing the facility were followed. Sports Kyunghyang reported that there was no separate road occupancy permit application or prior consultation between the Buk District Office and the drama production crew.

Road occupancy refers to the act of installing and using facilities or objects in a certain space of a road. The Road Act stipulates that acts such as temporarily placing objects on roads without permission may be subject to fines of up to 3 million won.

However, a separate determination is needed on whether the installation of the filming facility constitutes an actual violation of the Road Act. This is because the location where the facility was installed, the entity managing the road, the installation method, and whether it falls under relevant permit requirements must be verified. At present, only a complaint has been filed, and no violation has been confirmed.

Broadcast Cancellation Petition vs. Praise for Highlighting Victims' Suffering... 19.5% Viewership

The debate surrounding the drama continues over its broadcast content as well. In the sixth episode, the story unfolded around Oh Sang-beom (Ha Seong-kwang), who was shot during the May 18 Democratic Uprising, and doctor Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won), who tries to treat him.

Some viewers took issue with the appearance of stories related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising in the course of a medical drama. A petition demanding the cancellation of the drama was posted on the National Assembly's public consent petition system, and it reportedly met the requirement of 100 consenting signatures needed for public disclosure. Online, there were also demands for the production crew to explain the background of the adaptation.

On the other hand, there are also positive assessments that the drama shed light on the suffering of victims of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. Despite divided opinions about the work, the viewership rating remained high. According to Nielsen Korea, the sixth episode recorded a nationwide household rating of 19.5%.

Two Remaining Issues... Attention on Buk District Office's Review Results

With the controversy over the use of historical subject matter now compounded by the legality issue of the filming facility, attention is focused on the results of the Buk District Office's review of the complaint. Two matters remain to be verified: whether the mobile bus stop sign for filming falls under road occupancy permit requirements, and whether relevant laws were violated in the actual installation process.

[AI assisted in part with this article]