The OTT variety survival show ‘Battle of Fates’ has officially bowed to public pressure and announced the re-editing of a controversial episode that sparked outrage for disrespecting deceased public servants.

On February 28, the production team released a formal statement confirming that they have engaged in deep discussions with the bereaved families of the late Fire Chief Kim Cheol Hong and Police Sergeant Lee Jae Hyun. In accordance with the families’ wishes, the show will remove the offensive segments from the previously released episode and replace it with a revised version immediately.

The massive controversy erupted following the release of Episode 2 on February 11, which featured a shocking mission titled ‘Guess the Deceased’s Signature.’ Viewers were appalled to see the show using the identities of real-life fallen heroes—who gave their lives in the line of duty—as mere props for a variety game.

The situation was exacerbated by highly insensitive comments made by cast members during the segment. In one particularly heavily criticized moment, while discussing Sergeant Lee—who tragically died in 2004 while apprehending a violent suspect—a participant made a trivializing remark, asking, “Isn’t getting stabbed called a ‘stab punch’?”

Another segment involved participants speculating on the cause of death for Fire Chief Kim, who passed away during a fire rescue operation in 2001. The use of these tragic, noble deaths for entertainment purposes drew immediate and fierce condemnation from firefighter and police associations, as well as the general public, who accused the show of crossing a serious ethical line.

While producers initially claimed they had obtained consent, the backlash intensified when families and organizations argued that the true nature of the “game” had not been properly explained to them. Facing a potential boycott and severe criticism regarding ethical standards in OTT content production, the team issued a final apology to the families, the organizations, and viewers, promising to rectify the oversight.

‘Battle of Fates’ is a survival program featuring 49 participants, including shamans, competing in fortune-telling battles. This incident has sparked a wider conversation in the Korean entertainment industry about the ethical boundaries of streaming content and the respect owed to national heroes.