Mnet's upcoming survival show STREET WORLD FIGHTER : Directors' War has been swept up in an unexpected controversy even before its premiere. A teaser that initially went viral was set to private after an overseas choreographer challenged it, fueling the uproar from the very start.
On the 23rd, Mnet stated, "The video was produced to introduce the program's concept and the role of performance directors." They added, "During the process of excerpting parts of interviews, we confirmed that some content was delivered differently from the original intent," explaining that the video has been set to private. The network also pledged to exercise greater caution throughout production going forward.
The controversy began with a roughly 40-second teaser released on the 21st. The clip quickly flashed scenes from global stages such as the MAMA Awards, Coachella, and the Super Bowl Halftime Show, emphasizing the scale of the major project.
However, choreographer Kira Harper quickly pushed back after the teaser dropped. On her social media, she claimed, "I did not appear on this program, and I never said those things." She continued, "They asked who I had stood on stage with, and I answered—but the edit made it look like I directed those stages," expressing her displeasure.
As the backlash grew, Mnet set the video to private. Some are also pointing out that the official statement lacked a direct apology. With trust issues erupting from the very first piece of promo content, observers say the show's image has already taken a hit.
Notably, Mnet previously faced massive criticism over vote-rigging in the PRODUCE 101 series. With producers even receiving prison sentences at the time, the industry was left reeling—making this latest editing controversy even more sensitive.
Meanwhile, STREET WORLD FIGHTER : Directors' War is a new project spotlighting performance directors who design global stages, expanding the universe of Street Woman Fighter and Street Man Fighter. With controversy flaring even before the broadcast, all eyes are on whether this incident will affect its success.