Seohyun, Ok Taecyeon's K-Drama Makers APOLOGISE For Damaging UNESCO World Heritage Site: 'Will Take Extra Precautions'

The makers of The First Night With The Duke, starring Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon, have issued an apology for damaging UNESCO world heritage site during the shoot of the romantic fantasy show. For those unversed, the damaged property is Byeongsan Seowon Confucian Academy, near Hahoe Village in Andong. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019.

Recently, it was reported that the pillars of Byeongsan Seowon were nailed by crew members for shoot purposes. A representative from the National Heritage Administration reportedly revealed that Andong City issued the permit for the shoot of the show, however, the production team violated the permit conditions.

An architect, an eye-witness, posted on Facebook, "When I visited Byeongsan Seowon Confucian Academy that afternoon, I saw staff nailing into wooden pillars. Despite my protests, they reacted angrily." The person also posted a picture in which the crew members are seen hanging a lantern on the pillar.

Aplogising for the damage done, the makers mentioned in a statement, "We deeply regret the incident that occurred during the shooting of The First Night With The Duke. The production team obtained prior permission to film at Andong Byeongsanseowon last year, but during the process of installing props, a passer-by observed the team drilling a nail into the structure. They protested, citing the inappropriateness of such actions at a protected heritage site."

The statement further read, "Regardless of the circumstances, KBS recognises the seriousness of this matter. We are currently investigating the details of the incident and are working on a plan to restore the damage. Moving forward, we will take extra precautions to prevent such issues from happening again."

About The First Night With the Duke

Besides Seohyun and Ok Taecyeon, the K-drama also stars Kwon Han-sol, Seo Bum-june, and Ji Hye-won. It revolves around the story of a college student whose soul takes possession of the body of a minor character in a romance novel.

The First Night With the Duke is scheduled to release on KBS2 in 2025.