The production team behind KBS2TV’s new daily drama 'Queen’s House' (written by Kim Min Joo, directed by Hong Seok Goo and Hong Eun Mi) has issued an apology following backlash over a line in the first episode that was criticized for demeaning public education.

On May 2, the show’s official website published a formal apology, stating, “We sincerely apologize for the controversy caused by a line in Episode 1 that viewers pointed out.”

However, the production team clarified that there was no intention to belittle public institutions. They explained, “The character Kang Jae In (played by Ham Eun Jung) sending her son Hwang Eun Ho (played by Yeo Si On) to a public kindergarten was meant to reflect trust in such institutions."

Currently, the first episode has been removed from all major platforms. The team added, “The problematic dialogue will be edited out and the episode will be reuploaded to the KBS website, VOD services, and Wavve.”

Earlier, the National Union of Public Kindergarten Teachers issued a statement strongly criticizing the show. They said the drama “undermined the safety and educational value of public kindergartens, severely damaging public trust in the education system.”

The union further condemned the scene for linking public kindergartens to child abduction and labeling them a “cheap choice,” stating that such portrayals foster prejudice against early public education.

They urged drama producers to be more cautious moving forward, adding, “Future productions should take greater care not to perpetuate distorted images of public education or institutions.”

Episode 1 of 'Queen’s House,' which aired on April 28, depicted the kidnapping of Kang Jae In’s only son, Hwang Eun Ho. One controversial scene showed the maternal grandmother confronting the paternal grandmother, tearfully saying, “How could a wealthy chaebol family send their child to a public kindergarten? If he had gone to the most expensive private kindergarten, none of this would’ve happened.”

Viewers expressed outrage, accusing the show of implying that attending a public kindergarten led to the kidnapping and criticizing it for disparaging public education.

Meanwhile, 'Queen’s House' is a revenge drama that follows the story of a woman whose seemingly perfect life is shattered, leading her down a path of retribution.

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