The producers of have released an official statement apologizing to the viewers for a controversial sign language sign from the premiere episode. They promised the audiences to take care of the issue and work hard to prevent such mistakes from reoccurring.
The production team of this mystery thriller drama came under fire after viewers expressed concern for belittling sign language. The producers released an official apology on Friday (November 29) addressing the issue. According to them, they had no intentions to mock sign language. However, the production team admitted that they fell short of creative ideas while portraying the difficulties faced by the people who use sign language.
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The mystery thriller drama, starring Yoo Yeon Seok, Chae Soo Bin, Heo Nam Jun, and Jang Gyu Ri, premiered on Friday (November 22) at 9:50 pm KST. The first episode introduced Chae Soo Bin as a sign language interpreter, Hong Hee Joo. The introductory scene featured her interpreting a news program. She freezes on screens due to a technical glitch while signing the word mountain. The news team interpreted the sign as an obscene hand gesture.
The controversial scene captured the attention of several viewers. Audiences expressed their concern about belittling sign language. The producers of this MBC drama promised their viewers that they would work hard to ensure that this mini-series is remembered for conveying sign language as a tool for connecting a person with another individual.
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Here is the Complete Statement by When The Phone Rings Producers:
