Drama production for Lee Jae-wook and Shin Ye-eun's new series address overworking allegations

Producers of The Persevering Doctor, the upcoming rom-com starring Lee Jae-wook and Shin Ye-eun, have responded to claims of extreme overtime.

The Studio M on Jan. 9 issued an apology for "causing concern due to issues that occurred on the drama set."

“The Studio M takes the issues raised regarding filming hours very seriously, and as the production company, we intend to address them with a responsible attitude," they said.

The production company stated they are working to establish a more efficient production environment by streamlining filming schedules and operational methods to meet a demanding timeline. They further clarified that they have consulted with the crew and integrated their feedback into the process.

"However, we ultimately failed to pay sufficiently careful attention to the staff’s actual on-site workload and accumulated fatigue, and we feel a heavy responsibility for that as the production company,” they admitted.

“Going forward, we will faithfully comply with a 52-hour weekly working limit for all scheduled filming. For any parts of the shoot already conducted where weekly filming exceeded 52 hours, we will actively consult with the staff to work toward an amicable resolution," they promised.

This was after the Hanbit Media Labor Rights Center on Jan. 8 said that the drama had violated the 52-hour workweek.

It noted that The Persevering Doctor, which began filming last September, recorded 63-hour shooting weeks for three consecutive weeks in December.

Adapted from the hit webtoon, The Persevering Doctor stars Lee Jae-wook and Shin Ye-eun as a doctor and nurse navigating romance on the infamous Pyeondong Island