The latest K-drama on the block to shatter all records globally is none other than IU and Park Bo Gum's Netflix show, When Life Gives You Tangerines. After being hailed as one of the best K-dramas of recent times, the show is now making headlines for all wrong reasons after several members of the extended cast and crew accused the makers of inhumane treatment on the sets.
It all began after an X user claimed that the production team of the K-drama manhandled their props and damaged them. "Our company staff were stationed on the set to “facilitate” the use of the props (we really were just there to keep an eye on them) because the production team had zero skills to operate the retro buses or large props that we rented or made for them, and they damaged them all. They were either ignorant or irresponsible. Of course, we took photos of it all and made claims later (sic)," the tweet read.
'Treated us like slaves': Extras
The post opened a can of worms about the workings on the sets of When Life Gives You Tangerines, and several actors, who worked as extras on the show, shared their harrowing ordeal online. "They forced extras to shave their heads, and despite being a Netflix production, nothing was provided. They didn’t want to spend money on anyone else appearing on the show but the main actors, so they tried to scrimp and save (sic)," a user tweeted.
The post further read, "They even neglected the elderly extras in the cold winter and made people starve without providing a food truck or craft table, throwing us to a random restaurant and telling us to eat within 30 minutes… They told us costumes would be provided, but didn’t allow us to wear insulating inner wear. They said that it would ruin the fit of the costumes, but it’s in the dead of winter. Who would even notice extras in the background? They really treated us like slaves (sic)."
Netflix issues statement
Soon after the posts went viral, netizens slammed the makers as well as Netflix for the behind-the-scenes mistreatment of staff. While the lead cast has not reacted to the controversy yet, Netflix issued an official statement promising thorough investigation and action in the matter.
"We are working closely with our Korean production partners to improve working conditions and will thoroughly review the facts to prevent similar issues in the future," a part of Netflix's statement read.
