The KBS television series 'First Night with the Duke' has come under fire after accusations that the film crew damaged the Byeongsanseowon Confucian Academy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was reported that crew members used nails on the historical site's wooden pillars during filming. Andong government authorities and the National Heritage Administration have launched investigations into the matter.

On January 2, a spokesperson for the National Heritage Administration said, “We received complaints through the national safety reporting system. Filming permits are granted by local governments, and Andong City issued the permit for this shoot. Currently, the production team has violated the permit conditions.”

The official added, “The permit explicitly prohibits any damage to cultural heritage. This is a clear violation, and Andong City is considering what action to take. We may need to obtain a detailed statement about the incident. Given the damage, legal action, including prosecution, is possible.”

The controversy escalated after an architect, identified only as 'A', shared his observations on social media. He claimed to have witnessed the damage caused to the historic structure by the film crew on December 30, 2024.

A said, “When I visited the Byeongsanseowon Confucian Academy that afternoon, I saw the staff hammering nails into the wooden pillars. Despite my protests, they reacted angrily.”

A also claimed to have contacted the Andong City Department of Cultural Heritage and media outlets to report the incident. He expressed surprise at learning that such incidents were not uncommon. “In some cases, modern heritage sites have even had pillars or walls dismantled for filming purposes,” A revealed.

“Some might think that hammering a nail into wood isn't such a big deal,” added A, “but even in traditional Korean homes, hammering a single nail requires careful consideration. When it comes to cultural heritage, even more caution is needed.”

As investigations continue, the incident has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for stricter regulations to protect cultural heritage sites during commercial activities such as filming.