Iranian Viewers angry at "See You In My 19th Life" and accuse the drama of distorting their country's history

Following the recent broadcast of tvN's new series, "See You in My 19th Life," the show has found itself at the center of a controversy involving Iranian viewers. The series has been accused of misrepresenting and distorting aspects of Iran's historical narrative. This controversy revolves around a scene in which the main character, Ban Ji Eum (portrayed by Shin Hye Sun), claims she discovered alcohol, specifically "Arak," during one of her past lives in Saudi Arabia.

Iranian viewers have expressed their disapproval and disappointment with this depiction, citing that, according to well-documented Iranian history and sources, the discovery of alcohol can be traced back to the work of "Abu Bakr al-Razi", an acclaimed Iranian alchemist, physician, and philosopher.

Furthermore, "Arak" is notably recognized as Iran's most iconic and original alcoholic beverage.

Consequently, Iranian viewers are seeking an apology for the misrepresentation of their country's history and for the show's decision to attribute an important aspect of their cultural heritage to an Arab character instead of an Iranian one. Many Iranians are posting comments on various posts on the official Netflix Korea Instagram account asking for an apology.