Disney+ original variety show 'Destiny War 49' has achieved overwhelming popularity during the Lunar New Year holiday period, despite various controversies and issues, securing the top spot in viewer ratings.
'Destiny War 49' is a survival program where 49 fortune tellers compete for survival through missions. It has garnered attention even before its release with the participation of famous influencers, including comedian Lee Guk-joo, the baby shaman Lee So-bin who predicted MC Mong's future on 'Star King', and No Seul-bi from 'High School Mom and Dad'.
The spark of controversy was ignited by Park Na-rae's appearance. Speculation arose that her unedited return, after a hiatus due to personal matters, was a signal of her comeback. An insider clarified that it was "footage filmed a long time ago," but comments made during the broadcast regarding the 'target' have coincidentally aligned with the current situation, leading to ongoing debates.
The most damaging blow is the 'disrespecting the deceased' controversy surrounding the fallen public servants. In the second episode, a mission was conducted to guess the cause of death using the fortune telling of a fallen firefighter and police officer, which sparked outrage among viewers. In particular, a netizen claiming to be a family member of the late firefighter Kim Cheol-hong expressed frustration, stating, "I agreed with the intention of honoring the noble sacrifice, but the actual broadcast was filled with a guessing game by shamans and reactions focused on the panel's entertainment."
The production team explained, "We went through a process of obtaining consent from the bereaved family and explaining the planning intentions," but criticism that they consumed a tragic death as a tool for survival has not subsided. During this process, Professor Lee Ho-sun, who participated as a panelist, realized, "This is not a place for me to be," and left after just one episode.
As if that weren't enough, allegations of manipulation have also surfaced. Posts claiming that the program is essentially structured to select actors or fraudsters have been published in online communities, leading to a battle over the truth.
Could this be due to the effect of such 'noise marketing'? According to global OTT ranking site FlixPatrol, 'Destiny War 49' has reached first place in the Disney+ TV show category in South Korea and Taiwan, and is ranked 10th worldwide, creating an ironic box office record.
