While filming a new season of the Korean period drama series,
The King of Tears, Lee Bang-Won, a horse on set
suffered a serious and preventable injury -- and then died a week later.The horse's maiming occurred during a scene in which the title character is riding the animal, and then falls off his steed. In order to create this "falling-off-the-horse" effect, apparently members of the production team thought it was necessary to
actually knock the horse off its own feet and have it fall to the ground.
While the broadcasting corporation behind the show, KBS, released a statement apologizing and saying it had "prepared" to ensure that filming would be safe for the horse, that's just clearly not true.
People across South Korea have been speaking out against this neglect and mistreatment, and it's time for us to add our voices to theirs!Sign the petition to demand nationwide protocols to protect animals on film sets in South Korea!The details are even more heart-breaking. An animal rights group in South Korea, the Korean Animal Welfare Association, reviewed footage of the event and shared that treatment of the horse had been all but set up to create a horrific accident.
According to the group, apparently handlers had
connected the horse's legs to a wire, which staff then pulled intensely in order to force the poor animal to fall over -- while it was in the middle of running through a forest with a human on its back. As the Korean Animal Welfare Association correctly notes,
this was dangerous for both the horse and the actor -- both of whom "were at risk of being severely injured."
Luckily, the actor came away physically unharmed, but
it must have been heartbreaking for everyone involved to watch the horse writhe in pain afterwards. And then, one week later, the poor animal was dead. The creature had by that point already endured a lifetime of exploitation. Previously, it had been used in the race horsing industry, before being retired at age 4 or 5 and sold off to a horse rental company. The horse's last moments on this Earth were spent being used as a prop for human entertainment, which ultimately killed it.
Actors, other celebrities, animal lovers, and fans of the show are all sharing their horror over this tragic and unnecessary death. As actor Yoo Yeon-seok said on his Instagram account, "
There shouldn't be any more scenes [in TV and film] where animals are killed for money and time. The safety of stunt actors must also be guaranteed."
The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs has promised it will work on creating guidelines for the film, TV, and advertising industry on how to keep animals used in production safe.
"Guidelines" are simply not strong enough -- there must be national laws to ensure these animals' well-being. The government must also create an enforcement mechanism to protect horses, dogs, cats, and other animals used in media. Sign the petition if you agree!