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| The cast of tvN's new reality show "Summer Vacation" sit around a table and drink a homemade beverage. The show directed by Na Young-seok is embroiled in a plagiarism controversy, an allegation Na denies. Courtesy of tvN |
By Park Ji-won
Star producer Na Young-seok's "Summer Vacation" has been accused of plagiarism after its first episode aired on tvN, Friday.
Actress Jung Yu-mi and actor Choi Woo-shik star in the show, showing their daily lives in a seaside house in Gangwon Province. During their spare time, they take walks, cook, and raise vegetables. They also draw and keep journals.
After its first episode, some internet users alleged the reality show has many similarities with the Japanese video game "My Summer Vacation" produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2000.
The game revolves around carrying out the daily activities of a young Japanese boy living in the countryside ― like keeping a diary and tending a corn field ― which are similar to the tasks of Jung and Choi.
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| Seen is a screen shot of "My Summer Vacation," a video game of Sony Interactive Entertainment. Screen capture from YouTube |
They claimed tvN's "Summer Vacation" and the Japanese video game are similar in the plot: cast go to a rural area, explore countryside lifestyles and draw and keep a journal.
In addition to the format, they also claim the structure of the house of the tvN show and Japanese video game is similar. The tvN show is set in an old house of a fishing town with the old house having been considerably renovated for the show. Some internet users claimed its structure is similar to that of the Japanese video game.
Director Na and tvN denied the plagiarism allegation.
They said they were not aware of the video game and thus didn't plagiarize it.
Regarding the allegation about the structure of the house, they said they had to modernize it as it was built in the 1950s and renovations were carried out to the roof and external structure while the inside of the house remains intact.
In a statement released Monday, tvN, however, offered an apology.
"We're sorry for those who felt uncomfortable about the show…. We humbly accepted the viewers' opinions and started fixing the house so as to minimize the inconveniences before shooting," tvN said on the program's Instagram account, Sunday.
"We simply thought that the house was good to show the stars' various aspects as it has an attic and three yards…. We didn't largely change the structure of the house, but renewed the exterior of the house."
It also refuted the allegation that it copied the format of the Japanese game saying, "We don't know the game and didn't copy it."
