Disney+ original variety show Battle Of Fates has sparked controversy for using the cause of death of a fallen firefighter as material for a fortune-telling mission.
Episodes 1 to 4 of Battle Of Fates, released on the 11th, featured a survival format story where 49 fortune-tellers, including shamans, destiny analysts, tarot card readers, and physiognomists, carry out various missions. Among them, the “Guess the Cause of Death of the Deceased” mission in episode 2 became the center of the controversy.
In this mission, participants deduced causes of death based on photos of the deceased, birth dates, and death times provided by the producers. The case of the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Cheol Hong, who died in the 2001 fire in Hongje-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, was included.
Some participants mentioned possibilities such as fire, collapse, and suffocation based on fortune-telling and intuition, leading to scenes where other cast members showed surprise. After these scenes spread on social media, criticism arose online questioning whether this treatment was disrespectful to the deceased and whether it was appropriate to speculate on the cause of death like fortune-telling.
In particular, a netizen who identified themselves as the deceased’s family member posted on social media, claiming that there was a problem with the consent process from the family, which further fueled the controversy. The post stated that the producers had initially described the program as a documentary honoring heroes, but the actual broadcast was produced in the format of a shamanistic survival variety show.
It is reported that the family did not receive sufficient prior explanation regarding this use. However, this claim is based on an online post, and the author’s identity and the specific facts have not been officially confirmed.
In response, Disney+ Battle Of Fates stated, “We did obtain consent from the family for the episode,” but added, “We are currently verifying the matter through the production company.”
Meanwhile, Battle Of Fates plans to release episodes 5 to 7 on the 18th.