ENA’s latest K-drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo, which has quickly become an international sensation, is facing criticism for a dialog included in its latest episode. On August 11, the thirteenth episode of the show aired. In it, a dialog made by the titular character Woo Young-woo, played by Park Eun-Bin, was deemed to be insensitive towards cancer patients.
In the latest episode, Jung Myung-suk, portrayed by Kang Ki-young, who is Attorney Woo’s mentor, was diagnosed with Stage III of stomach cancer. In light of this, Young-woo went to the hospital to pay a visit to her mentor.
When Myung-Suk met Young-woo, he assured her not to worry about him and, in response, Attorney Woo made a statement which was meant to be humorous but, instead, was received as distasteful and belittling of those who suffered from the fatal disease. She said:
Several viewers of the show have expressed their disappointment with the writers of the show for this statement. This statement was seen as an insult to those who are battling cancer or have loved ones who are suffering or have lost their lives to the disease.
Fans react to distasteful dialogue in Extraordinary Attorney Woo
Episode 13 featured a dramatic twist in the wholesome show Extraordinary Attorney Woo, but the reaction from viewers has since been quite different from what was anticipated by the makers. In this episode, Attorney Woo’s mentor Jung Myung-suk, who had previously collapsed with unbearable abdominal pain during an ongoing trial, is diagnosed with stomach cancer, which is in its third stage.
Speaking on the subject, Woo Young made a statement on the survival rate of cancer patients with third-stage abdominal cancer.
The statement was seen as derogatory towards those battling the disease and viewers who have loved ones who are suffering from cancer. Several netizens and online communities have expressed their displeasure with the show and how it has dealt with the issue of cancer.
One netizen commented that the show is enjoyed by cancer patients, and the dialogue had caught them completely off guard:
Additionally, another viewer commented that the show only perpetuated a stereotypical idea about cancer:
Further, one viewer stated that the reality of neurodivergent people should not have been depicted at the cost of undermining the lived experience of cancer patients,
Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a much-loved K-drama with a neurodivergent protagonist and has touched millions of hearts across the globe with its wholesome storyline. However, with the rise in criticisms against it, it is to be seen whether the K-drama will manage to end on a similar blockbuster note on which it had started.
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