TV entertainment programs have been covering more content and genres including provocative themes, wielding strong influence over the public. Nowadays, television shows featuring the disturbing details of true crime cases have been proven to be especially popular in Korea.
However, since these kinds of shows take the form of casual storytelling sessions and panel members seem as if they are enjoying an afternoon tea time, there are concerns that crime and criminals have degenerated into a light story subject merely for entertainment.
Crime-themed TV programs have been broadcasted for years, but what has changed is a new trend and method of conveying the theme. The method that has recently been shown in entertainment shows is a “re-enactment” format that reconstructs the crime situation from a deeper perspective of the perpetrator or victim. It often focuses on the perpetrator’s process of growth and their mental psychology.
Many different celebrities or crime experts are on the program and discuss the details with each other. Consequently, the program often does not have a serious atmosphere.
The Background of the New Trend
“Due to the prolonged pandemic situation, studio-oriented entertainment shows have been especially preferred among broadcasters. Because of the pandemic, many different outdoor-oriented programs are now situated in the studio,” said Lee Ja-yeon, a Professor from the Department of Media and Communication at Hanyang University, who specializes in social media effects on the public. Crime has always been the crux of the public’s interests.
However, due to the increasing awareness of social justice, the public started to have a desire to participate in the situation while wishing to solve the crime or catch the crime’s perpetrator by deeply understanding the crime. To placate the public’ s needs, broadcasters followed the trend by coming up with newly styled, crime-themed, TV programs.
The trend by itself is not a serious problem because everything nowadays is used as content. However, “When broadcasters only use the theme as a method to increase their viewership, it can be a serious social problem that could negatively influence the public. Not all the programs only focus on their viewership but still, the viewership is the priority of the broadcasters,” said Yu Hyun-jae, a Professor from the Department of Media and Communication at Sogang University.
Examples and Characteristics of Crime-themed TV Programs
There are many different types of crime-themed TV programs among different broad casters in Korea. Among them, SBS’s A Story in a Continual Loop is in a leading position in the crime-themed TV program genre. The show is currently running a third season and its format consists of three different storytellers telling the other panel members the same crime situation based on what they felt the first time they heard about the crime. This storytelling format has the advantage of helping viewers understand the incident easily and quickly immerse themselves in the situation.
Moreover, there are some interviews with people who remember the incident to add further richness to the show. Channel A’s Black: I Saw the Devil is also a crime-themed show with an increasing viewership. Unique to the show is that Kwon Il-yong, Korea’s number one profiler as well as a criminology Ph.D., participates in the show and helps viewers trace the mindset of criminals with realistic storytelling. Jang Jin, a director of the show, joins in the program and conveys the stories with deeply analyzed criminals’ psychology.
In particular, its drama-styled video viewed from the perspective of the criminal focuses on the criminals’ psychology rather than the case itself, allowing the viewers to immerse themselves. This type of reenactment format pursues the pure function of preventing other crimes.
On TVN, their show Al-sseul-bumjab, where Kwon Il-yong also appears, differs its setting by hosting many different experts from various academic areas so that viewers of the show understand the crime from broader perspectives and interpretations.
Channel E’s Brave Detectives, as can be inferred from the title, looks at the many different detectives who currently work in real everyday crime situations. The detectives point out intense events, information on preventive measures, and the meaning of the crime to society.
In particular, the show deals with punished cases, rather than unsolved cases, thus, it conveys the message of goodness and the justice of punishing power while providing viewers with a feeling of relief rather than fear.
Concerns and Implications over Crime-themed TV Shows
Though many different types of crime-themed TV shows continue to increase their viewership as well as public popularity, they have also gained some concerned voices. For instance, Al-sseul-bum-jab often visits many different locations where the incidents of crimes took place, captures the scenery of the area, and films the area. However, it may imply the atmosphere of a travel themed TV show which is not the suitable atmosphere of a show that discusses serious criminals.
“There will be variations in each crime-themed show. While there are some serious shows that focus on the prevention of crime by telling the stories full of useful information, there are shows that only care about their viewership and only emphasize the dramatic part that could badly influence the public’s perception of crime,” said Kim Hern-sik, a Media and Social Culture Critic. Kim added that it is morally wrong to dramatize crimes from the perspectives of the victims because if the victims or their families watch the show, it could cause secondary victimization to the people who have already been hurt.
As Kim mentioned, it is indeed critical not to take advantage of the irritability of the crime itself. It is necessary to deal with cases that are socially meaningful and use cases that can provide instructive warning messages to the public so that more individuals would not become victims of crimes.
In addition, Lee Ja - yeon, a Media Communication Professor, pointed out the danger of copycat crime. “It is inappropriate to give too much detail on a crime situation such as the weapon the perpetrator used or the process of the situation in detail. Just as there is a code of ethics when writing a news article, it would be good to have regulations when producing a TV show that talks about the crime.
However, there are no specific regulations or guidelines for entertainment shows. Therefore, it is the producers’ responsibilities as well as the public’s responsibility to discern what is right or wrong.
The Prospect of Crime-themed TV shows
Taking care of the bereaved family, getting consent, and not dramatizing their feelings should be priorities when making a show,” said Kim Hern-sik. In addition to taking care of the crime victims, it is important to take care of the public who should never become the next victim of crimes.
Thus, the TV show should not end just by delivering a story. Rather, it should give a meaningful lesson such as what the individuals can do to stay safe in society. Regarding a meaningful lesson, Kim added, “ We should always remind ourselves of the purpose of watching or producing a show since it is not all about viewership.”
The purpose and the reason why we watch the show is to learn: There is no such thing as a person who supposes to become a perpetrator or a murderer. Although individuals should not feel frustrated and scared all the time about strangers or their neighbors, they should remind themselves that a show’s content or genre is not just for their free enjoyable time.
What we should do is to protect the victims as well as ourselves. Professor Lee said if the trend pursues and follows the beneficial aspects of crime-themed TV shows, society could expect some positive consequences such as actively participating in solving an unsolved crime that would help victims or increase awareness about the danger of such crimes.
Preventing crimes and learning lessons from the past is not only one person’s task. When watching TV shows that talk about crime, it is everyone’s responsibility to keep reminding ourselves of the true beneficial aspects of the shows.
Thus, making and standing on our own selfawareness will be important. In other words, it is everyone’s duty to help themselves and survive in this information flooded society. Instead of being overly immersed in those criminal cases, viewers should learn the right amount of information they need.
On the producer’s part, they should provide viewers with informative content and show respect for the people involved. If both parties are cautious not to chase sensational shock value only, crimes and criminals can be used as a source of entertainment.