Battle of destiniespremiering on Disney+, it features 49 diviners, including shamans, saju (Four Pillars) experts, tarot readers and physiognomists, who compete in quests analyzing the birth records of deceased individuals and speculating on the circumstances of their deaths. In episode 2, the show introduced the case of Kim Cheol Hong, a firefighter who died in the 2001 Hongje-dong arson fire in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Contestants were only given his photo, the date and time of his birth, and the date of his death, and asked to deduce how he died.
During the broadcast, some participants suggested what his fate was “connected to fire”, while others have hypothesized possibilities such as structural collapse or crushing. In reality, Kim Cheol Hong died after being trapped under rubble when a building collapsed during the firefighting operation.
After the episode aired, a person who identified himself as the firefighter’s nephew took to social media, questioning whether the family had sincerely accepted such content. The relative said the family had been told the show would be produced in the spirit of honoring fallen heroes and martyrs, similar to a documentary. According to the post, the deceased’s sister had agreed to such an arrangement, but was allegedly unaware that the format would result in shamans guessing the cause of death live.
“I don’t understand how this was meant to honor his noble sacrifice,” wrote his nephew. He expressed anger at what he described as entertainers reacting with surprise and amusement as fortune tellers speculated about the details of his uncle’s death. “Even 25 years later, our family still cries when we talk about him. I can’t understand why his sacrifice is treated this way,” he added.
The controversy quickly escalated online, with viewers debating whether the program had crossed ethical lines by turning a real-life tragedy into a competitive guessing mission. Critics argued that framing the death of a fallen firefighter as part of a supernatural deduction challenge risked trivializing his sacrifice.
In response to the growing backlash, a Disney+ representative stated on February 18 that all episodes had been obtained “basic consensus”. However, the production team is reportedly reviewing the details of how the explanation was given to the family and how the episode was moved forward overall. No formal apology has been issued at this time.
Since its release on February 11th Battle of destinies has attracted attention for its unconventional format that combines competition for survival with mysticism. Yet the Kim Cheol Hong episode overshadowed its launch, raising broader questions about ethical boundaries in entertainment, especially when dealing with real-life heroes and grieving families.
As public scrutiny intensifies, many are waiting to see whether the production team will provide a clearer explanation – or take further action – in response to the grieving family’s concerns.
Sources: Nate
