Ok-sun from "I Am Solo" season 22, left, and Seonkyoung Longuist from "Culinary Class Wars" face cyberbullying after their shows aired. Captured from SBS/Netflix

In the realm of reality TV, being cast as a "villain" has long been a tactic to enhance viewership. However, the toll on the individuals behind these characters is becoming increasingly unbearable, as contestants endure relentless cyberbullying.

This toxic pattern, which has persisted for years, is once again in the spotlight due to several recent cases of online harassment targeting reality show participants in Korea.

One recent victim of this phenomenon is Seonkyoung Longest, 41, a contestant on Netflix's cooking competition show, "Culinary Class Wars." In a post on social media, she expressed her dismay at the cyberbullying she's faced since the show aired: "I never thought I'd be cyberbullied by Koreans, but unfortunately, that's what's happening."

Seonkyoung became the target of over 8,000 hateful comments on a single YouTube video, where users attacked everything from her nationality to her family. The root of the hate was her disagreement with fellow contestants during a group challenge. Seonkyoung wasn't the only one to suffer, as other contestants on the show have also been bombarded with insults, with commenters labeling them as "arrogant" for trivial reasons.

Korean-American chef Seonkyoung Longuist from Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars.' Captured from Netflix

Seonkyoung's experience is not isolated. A contestant on another popular reality show, "I Am Solo," has similarly opened up about the emotional toll of cyberbullying.

Ok-sun, a participant on the 22nd season of "I Am Solo," recently posted a message on social media pleading for the hate to stop.

"If you don't want to see me, please contact the broadcaster. But stop sending me these DMs. I can't sleep anymore," she wrote.

Despite previously asking viewers to refrain from criticizing her as a mother and a single parent, Ok-sun continues to face relentless online attacks, which have now persisted for more than three weeks.

Her supposed offense? Being perceived as selfish during the show. Her fellow contestant, Sun-ja, has also been a target, facing not only insults about her personality but also sexual harassment and derogatory comments about her appearance. Sun-ja is now taking legal action against her harassers.

A posting by Ok-sun from 'I Am Solo' season 22 on her social media last month, requesting an end to hateful comments. Captured from her social media

Villain trap of reality TV

The pattern feels all too familiar. For over a decade, reality TV contestants — especially non-celebrities — have been thrust into the spotlight, often edited to appear as "villains" to drive up viewership.

As a result, these contestants are left to endure the intense public backlash that follows. Their lives after the show become dominated by harsh criticism, forcing many into hiding or, in severe cases, engaging in legal battles against online trolls.

While viewers fuel the drama by posting vitriolic comments, production teams are often seen to be complicit by amplifying certain behaviors through selective editing — commonly referred to as "devil's editing" — to construct narrative arcs that paint certain contestants as the "bad guys."

Like other reality shows, Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" found success through this formula. The show became the first non-English-language Korean program to top Netflix's global TV chart for three consecutive weeks, fueled in part by the polarizing characters on screen. Despite this success, Netflix has remained largely silent about the harassment its contestants are facing.

When asked whether the company has policies in place to protect non-celebrity participants, a Netflix official offered only a vague response: "We take necessary measures to protect contestants as needed."

The company declined to comment on what specific support, if any, has been provided to Seonkyoung or other contestants targeted by online harassment.

Director Kim Hak-min, right, speaks at a production press conference for Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars," Sept. 11. Yonhap

'I Am Solo' faces persistent criticism

The cyberbullying surrounding "I Am Solo" has persisted for the past three years, with each season introducing a new "villain" character that triggers a wave of online hatred. In some instances, contestants have spoken out about how production decisions portrayed them in a more negative light than they actually were.

"I never cursed, but they muted my voice with an ‘X' sound, making it look like I did," one contestant complained.

Another contestant shared how being cast as a quirky woman on the show has destroyed her life.

"I can't even go outside anymore. For 400,000 won ($310) per episode, they drove a single mother like me into this situation to profit," she said.

Some former participants have gone so far as to accuse the show of treating its episodes like a "nationwide villain contest," prioritizing drama over accurately depicting the emotions and relationships of the participants.

Yet, despite these growing concerns, the production team has remained largely unresponsive. When asked about the issue of cyberbullying, producer Nam Kyu-hong expressed his disappointment but offered little hope for change.

"All I can do is encourage them to endure it," he said.

Producer Nam Kyu-hong, director of "I Am Solo." Courtesy of SBS Plus, ENA

Calls for change

Cultural critics argue that the responsibility for protecting contestants lies squarely with the production teams.

Ha Jae-geun, a popular culture commentator, emphasized that this is not a new issue.

"We've seen non-celebrity contestants on reality shows face extreme levels of online abuse, even to the point of suicide. Calls to protect contestants have been made repeatedly, but producers continue to create villains for the sake of ratings," Ha said.

He also criticized production teams for operating with outdated mentalities.

"The producers are stuck in a 20th-century mindset, but the reality is that once the content is out there, it can be replayed and re-edited endlessly. Contestants face harassment for years, but they have no control over how they're portrayed," Ha added.

Another cultural critic, Kim Hern-sik, called for a complete overhaul of reality TV production practices.

"Production teams should notify contestants of how they'll be portrayed before airing the show. Moreover, they should take responsibility for the fallout, including any cyberbullying that occurs. A new regulatory framework is needed to hold them accountable," Kim said.

Despite the bleak outlook, there are signs that some production teams are starting to take responsibility.

In July 2024, the team behind JTBC's dating show, "My Sibling's Romance," took an unprecedented step by issuing an official statement after contestants were bombarded with rumors and malicious comments.

"We will take firm action against any behavior that damages the reputations of our contestants," it said. The production team added that it was working closely with legal experts to collect evidence against those spreading false information.

Following the release of the statement, JTBC reported that the volume of online harassment against the show's participants had significantly decreased. A JTBC official said, "Since we made it clear that there would be legal consequences, the level of hate comments has dramatically gone down."

The case of "My Sibling's Romance" offers a glimmer of hope for a shift in how reality TV producers handle the issue of cyberbullying.

But with shows like "Culinary Class Wars" and "I Am Solo" still grappling with the consequences of their "villain" narratives, it's clear that the industry as a whole has a long way to go.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.