Busan Cherry Blossom Road Filming Sparks Citizen Complaints: Lack of Clear Regulations?
As citizen inconvenience arose due to the partial closure of pedestrian walkways for drama filming during the peak cherry blossom season at Busan's Gaegeum Cherry Blossom Road, calls for clear standards for filming permits in public places are emerging. This incident highlights a growing trend of public inconvenience and conflicts with production crews during film and drama shoots in public spaces.
TVING Original 'Pyramid Game' drew controversy for blocking students' commute routes, and JTBC drama 'The Atypical Family' caused public outcry by restricting passage for high-risk pregnant women during filming in a hospital's main building. Netflix series 'Squid Game 2' faced criticism for restricting public passage with staff's overbearing attitude during filming at Incheon Airport, and the popular drama 'When You're My Love' was criticized for imposing citizen controls at a festival.
The production company behind the Gaegeum Cherry Blossom Road filming stated that they filmed in accordance with official requests and cooperation from relevant departments, including the Busanjin-gu District Office and Busanjin Police Station. They apologized for causing inconvenience to citizens by filming during the period when people visit to enjoy the cherry blossoms.
However, despite repeated controversies like this, there are virtually no relevant laws or systems in place to restrict public passage during filming in public spaces. Some suggest that local governments should refrain from issuing filming permits during peak crowd periods. Filming in outdoor public spaces often involves seeking cooperation from local film commissions and obtaining approval from designated officials, which can lead to friction. A representative from a local film commission commented that clear guidelines would make it easier for production companies to scout locations and reduce public inconvenience. Another official suggested the need to consider institutional improvements, such as implementing systems seen overseas where production companies pay fees to management authorities for filming.