After releasing a statement on July 10th, regarding the controversy of the stereotypical depiction of the Arab Prince in episodes 7 and 8, the production team of the JTBC drama King the Land has issued another statement, apologizing for the inconvenience caused to the viewers.
In episodes 7 and 8, King the Land featured the Indian actor Anupam Tripathi (Squid Games) in the character of an Arab Prince, Prince Samir.
In episode 7, Gu Won (Lee Jun Ho) convinces Prince Samir to stay at his hotel. He makes a phone call to the Prince, who happens to have an acquaintance with him. The Prince agrees to stay at King Hotel after agreeing to a contract with Gu Won. While the playful banter between Gu Won and Prince Samir amused many, the K-drama also received criticism for its misrepresentation of Arab royalty.
The drama showed the character of the Arab Prince drinking in a bar, surrounded by women. This portrayal sparked massive criticism from netizens who believed the show has disrespected Arabs and their culture.
On July 12, King the Land‘s production team released a formal apology, which is as follows:
