I understand that people are reluctant to watch something that contains and depicts revisionist history, but many of these speculations were made well before the drama aired. The drama itself has taken a significantly different route than the rumors and speculations led many to anticipate, and generally does not glorify any right wing propaganda, nor does it paint the corrupt government back then as any more palatable than it was.
Much of the drama spends time showcasing the atrocities committed by the ANSP, not limited to just wrongful arrests and charges in the name of protecting their nation from communist and spies, but also torture, outright abuse of power, and a blatant disinterest for the wellbeing of the average civilian.
Iām not here to convince anyone to watch a drama theyāve already decided to stay away from, but I also believe itās wrong to immediately criticize something and those who partook in it when you yourself acknowledge that you are not well informed on the subject. I implore you, and anyone else with the same opinion, to withhold your judgement -particularly towards the actors and crew- if you lack substantial information and have not watched the drama to verify if these accusations carry any weight. How is passing negative judgement on actors based on rumors any less disrespectful than forming an opinion only after inspecting the evidence for yourself, or not inspecting and staying silent? Again, I will say that Iām not here to convince others that they should watch this drama, just to request some restraint from passing harsh judgement on the character and moral of these people if you canāt and/or refuse to fact check for yourself.
A major concern that arose before the airing of this drama was the male lead being a North Korean spy, these was further exacerbated by the assumptions and confusion that this character would be taking part in the democratization movement and protests. This did NOT occur. Given the circumstances, the male lead was mistaken for a protester by the female lead while on the run. To avoid getting captured he goes along with it, but from the get go he never had intentions of staying under that guise, initially trying to escape before things escalated but the dorm he ran (climbed) into was surrounded. He does stay there for a number of days (never specified but appears to be no more than a week and a half.) At no point does this character partake in protests or is actually linked to protesters. Protests are only shown in a brief scene at the beginning to show the drama being set in a time of instability.
One major mistake the production made was naming the female lead the same given name as a famous and tragic activist. This was entirely on them. After complaints were made they rectified it and the female lead was given a new name. However the damage was done, and to this day the drama is constantly embroiled in accusations about disrespect towards protesters and the many falsely accused victims. (Iāll get back to this later.) The complaints and concerns were valid. It is about a very sensitive time and if not more sensitive subject matter. Unfortunately, the complaints spiraled and progressed into predetermined conclusions about the storyline, garnering even more criticism. I reckon that snowdrop would not be facing nearly as much criticism had the female lead never shared the same name as the activist Cho Young Cho, and if the description of the male lead never included or alluded to him being a protester -which was not only untrue, but also misleading for those who do not watch the drama. At that point I donāt believe any corrections would have been enough as many came to their own conclusions before the drama aired.
A more recent complaint is how the ANSP is depicted in this drama, and some supposedly accuse it of sympathizing with the ANSP and the government, but that is so far from the truth. As early on as the first episode there is a scene where members of the ANSP mention how the growing number of wrongful arrests made the civilians wary of them. This organization is either shown to or mentioned to, hunt protesters down, throw gas bombs, falsely accuse those who opposed the regime, tortured those they captured, blackmailed innocents, make up narratives that fit their needs, and handling under handed business with the North with the intention of rigging a presidential election. Iāve seen some comments say that Snowdrop inaccurately depicts the ANSP as an organization made to hunt North Korean spies, when in reality they oppressed their own people. This accusation of an inaccurate depiction doesnāt align with whatās shown on Snowdrop. I doubt any viewer has come out feeling sympathetic for this downright demonic organization and government. There is really nothing sympathetic about this agency. The female leadās father is the director of the ANSP and is shown to love his kids and desperately wants to save his daughter. Thatās about as human as it gets. Heās clearly not above working with the North and rigging an election or heading a twisted agency. The ANSP is thoroughly shown as a cruel agency made under a cruel government, thats sole interest is in maintaining power. Comparatively, the ANSP is almost as passionately uninterested in the wellbeing of their own people.
This all being said, I fully acknowledge how a drama set in 1987 South Korea is inflammatory, particularly when one half of the love line is a North Korean spy. As with most historically set forms of entertainment, not every aspect will be historically accurate. Something not wholly accurate doesnāt equate to being revisionist history. Itās possible that the complaints made against the depiction of the ANSP are stemming from a desire to see a larger focus on wrongful arrests and other crimes against the people, but as the protests are not the focal point of the drama thereās little opportunity to show it in the way a drama like Youth of May could. (Youth of May is set during 1987, but more specifically in Gwangju where thousands upon thousands of civilians were brutally murdered by the government in an attempt to oppress the democratization movement, and at the time the massacre was labeled as a rebellion lead by communist sympathizers.)
As for the North Korean spies, I understand how the use of these characters can be seen as a way to justify the atrocities committed by the ANSP who committed those horrors behind a thinly veiled excuse of protecting South Korea from the North. If Snowdrop did not show the injustice and corruption as thoroughly as it does, then I could see how such a conclusions can be made, but thankfully the drama doesnāt fail to present the agencyās corruption. Additionally, a time of severe oppression and political strife is the ideal environment for countries to send spies in, so the concept of spies is not completely unbelievable. Particularly when there is a history of the North abducting South Koreans.
Itās my humble opinion that not all productions set in 1987 South Korea have to focus on the democratization movement. I of course could feel this way because I was not present to experience this horrific point in history myself, but as long as this story does not change the main aspects of the period or the movement, it doesnāt take away the validity, impact, or pain that was a result of the cruel time.
Another concern amongst the South Korean netizens was how international fans would not be able to differentiate what is an accurate or inaccurate depiction of history. In response to a petition about concerns of inaccurate depictions of history, the Blue House stated that they were accepting of the explanation JTBC provided, and further went on to clarify that they respect self correction efforts however, there are consequences to extreme distortions of history. There is government committee that inspects and judges such matters. Thus far Snowdrop has not been legally viewed or identified as distortion/revisionist history, and thus hasnāt been sent for investigation. As for international viewers, I believe itās on the viewer to be conscious of the way they judge and take in media set in a historical time period they are unfamiliar with. Watching foreign media is not exclusive to non-South Koreans, and I am sure they understand that dramas are not a reliable source for unequivocally accurate depictions of history. If a viewer goes in with the mindset to learn about a historical period through a drama, not a documentary, then proceed to not follow up with any research then thatās on the viewer, not the media.
So PERSONALLY, with all my observations and efforts to research this period, I do not see Snowdrop pushing forth a revised version of history that sympathizes with the old regime and ANSP. It is indeed telling a fictional story, but one set with history as itās backdrop that addresses the injustices and oppression of Cha Doohwanās regime that help to explain not only the political climate of the time, but the mentality and lives of several characters as well.
Snowdrop takes a unique and somewhat self destructive approach, in that rather than immediately showcasing the horrors of a corrupt government, it takes it episode by episode, scene by scene, in a manner that shows one facet of corruption at a time. Leaving viewers uncomfortable and horrified with the knowledge that it DOES get worse. It takes time highlighting the layers of secrets and horrors of a regime so corrupt, they will not only kill but torture their own people while saying itās for the nationās wellbeing. The slow paced revelations helps to emphasize these horrors, but the pace also leaves too much time for the drama to be criticized for those who havenāt waited to see itās progression.
More so than a love story, Snowdrop seems more focused on revealing the pain and tragedy a corrupt nation causes. That BOTH the North and South (at the time of 1987) were under corrupt governments, and whether brainwashed or oppressed, civilians were/are the ones to be used as tools and collateral. This is why we see a whopping total of a mere 2 agents who not only recognize but oppose their own agency (ANSP) because their desire is to protect the people, but are limited within the narrow parameters of leeway their job offers. Itās why we see the male lead struggle with his ideals as his whole foundation is being shaken by the realization that his nation only views their spies as expendables.
Now a love story set between a South Korean girl attending university and a North Korean spy in South Korea during 1987ā¦that is more up to how a viewers chooses to view it. A more forgiving eye, or a more critical eye. This judgement probably leans more towards how empathetic an individual will be towards the couple, or how critical theyāll be towards their circumstances.
Everyone and anyone is obviously free to come to their own conclusions. If youāve come this far, thank you for reading this massive chunk of writing.
