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‘Legend of the Blue Sea’ swept up in plagiarism controversy
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A still from "Legend of the Blue Sea". (www.facebook.com/lotbsdrama/File)
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BS’ drama “The Legend of the Blue Sea” premiered to a strong start last week, but despite its early success, it has been hit by a slew of plagiarism controversies.
Viewers of the show noticed uncanny similarities between the cinematography of the drama and the British TV series “Sherlock."
In the drama, actor Lee Min-ho’s character plays a genius con man who is capable of noticing miniscule details that allow him to read and understand people.
This was a skill that was characteristic of the lead role in “Sherlock,” and it was shown through brief text overlays over different parts of a person’s body.
(Read also: Jun Ji-hyun talks mermaid role, chemistry with Lee Min-ho)
‘Legend of the Blue Sea’ swept up in plagiarism controversyhttps://t.co/PkuZ7UsTUP#Legendofthebluesea #LeeMinho #JunJihyun #Sherlock pic.twitter.com/r9Vlb8Snmt
— Kpop Herald (@Kpop_Herald) November 23, 2016
The drama is also facing accusations of plagiarizing the movie “Splash” (1984).
The plot of “Splash” revolves around a successful young businessman who falls in love with a mermaid who saved him from drowning in the ocean. Likewise, “The Legend of the Blue Sea” focuses on a genius con man who falls in love with the last mermaid on earth.
The similarities are not limited to the plot. Viewers also noted that actress Jun Ji-hyun’s character in the show closely resembled actress Daryl Hannah in “Splash,” including scenes where she learnt to speak, eat, socialize and read traffic signs.
This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
