Brand Name Censorship Regulations for K-Dramas to Loosen Up for 2015

It seems that from now on viewers will be less distracted from blurred out brand names in K-dramas.

The Broadcast and Communications Review Committee opened a meeting on December 24 and talked about the broadcast regulations regarding censorship of brand names. The new regulations will apply to every broadcast starting on December 30.

The committee finalized that labels or signs that are shown unintentionally in the middle of shoots as part of the background or props would be excluded from regulations.

Currently, many broadcasts are taking measures such as blurring out signs or labels that are caught on camera, and covering logos on actors’ clothes with tape. However, there have been many cases where viewers complained that these measures were distracting.

In fact, the Broadcast and Communications Review Committee has not regulated natural exposure of labels and logos since 2006 and has periodically educated companies on our policies. However, the committee said, “Even so, the broadcast companies who don’t understand these procedures fully were using excessive methods such as blurring or taping, distracting the viewers of programs at hand.”

As such, with the clarification of the rules, they are making sure that confusion is minimized. While unintentional or unavoidable shots will be accepted, if the labels are repetitively used or are blatantly related to sponsored products, the rules against indirect marketing will continue to hold.

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