The popular South Korea TV drama "SKY Castle" allegedly triggered a copycat murder after a doctor was stabbed to death by a patient. Viewers of the series reportedly spotted similarities from the plot of the TV drama and the real-life crime happened in Seoul just this week.
The 47-year-old psychiatrist died in the hospital from multiple chest wounds two hours after being assaulted by the suspect, according to the South China Morning Post. The 30-year-old male patient reportedly chased the victim while he warned others to flee. When he stumbled, the knifeman reportedly stabbed him several times on his chest and was later on arrested at the scene.
The majority of the viewers spotted similarities between "SKY Castle" and the real-life murder. In the scene, one of the lead characters of the series, who is also a doctor, was being chased by a knife-wielding patient since he was angry by the poor results of an operation. The scene was then ended with hospital authorities apologizing to the patient.
SKY Castle is a drama series that tells stories of rich South Koreans spending exorbitant amounts just to send their children to top universities in Seoul. The TV series is wildly popular, soaring from 1.7 percent to more than 11 percent since its premiere back in November. The scene which is allegedly similar to the real-life crime was aired three weeks before the copycat crime happened.
A lot of internet users bombarded JTBC TV's website - where the show airs - calling for a public apology and asking the drama to be taken off the air following the crime. The broadcasting company has no immediate comment regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, the Korean Medical Association (KMA) - representing about 130,000 physicians in the country - said in a statement on Tuesday they "denounce" the drama for reportedly "caricaturing" violence against medical doctors.
KMA spokesman Park Jong-hyuk said that although there's no clear link between the drama and the real-life crime, the scene from the series may have likely sent a wrong signal to the public that patients can assault medical personnel if they aren't satisfied with the results or their treatments.
Last week, South Korea's parliament also passed a law that will increase fines and jail terms for violence against medical personnel in response to a series of assaults. Offenders need to pay fines of 100 million won (US$90,000) if they caused injuries, or they might be facing up to 10 years in prison.
