Arab character on South Korean drama King the Land sparks online backlash

Viewers went on social media to decry the stereotypical depiction of Prince Samir

South Korean drama King the Land has caused controversy with its portrayal of the character Prince Samir, played by Indian actor Anupam Tripathi. Photo: npio Entertainment

A hit South Korean drama has sparked a backlash online due to its controversial portrayal of an Arab character.

In a recent episode of King the Land, streaming on Netflix, a supporting character named Prince Samir is seen in a nightclub cavorting with women and drinking alcohol while wearing a white kandura and the traditional headpiece, keffiyeh.

While the nationality of Prince Samir, played by Indian actor Anupam Tripathi of Squid Games fame, is unclear, the choice of name and clothing left no doubt he is from the region.

Viewers took to Twitter and criticised the show for its stereotypical portrayal of an Arab.

Netflix Korea's official Instagram page has also been inundated with messages demanding an apology from the platform.

While Netflix has yet to make an official comment surrounding the controversy, producers of King the Land have reportedly responded stressing that Prince Samir's character is not meant to represent a specific country.

"The characters, regions, and place names appearing in the drama are all fictitious settings. They are not depicted as princes of a specific country,” they said, according to South Korean news outlet SPOTV News.

Premiering on South Korean broadcaster JTBC last month and with two episodes available on Netflix each week, the series follows the relationship between hotel heir Goo Won (Lee Jun-ho) and hotelier Cheon Sa-Rang, played by Im Yoon-ah.

According to Netflix charts, King the Land is currently the second-most watched show in the UAE.

The series is one of a number of K-dramas reaching an international audience this year, including The Glory Part 2, The Good Bad Mother and Crash Course in Romance.

On July 28, Netflix will begin streaming the second season of the hit military drama DP.