A Critical Analysis on a Parenting Counseling TV Show

This study critically considered the influence of the parenting counseling process presented in a TV entertainment program ‘My Golden Kids(Korea TV Show)’. The program ‘My Golden Kids’ is a mixture of entertainment, parenting coaching, and reality, showing various family forms. Parenting counseling, a private sphere, reproduces the public's preferred values on TV media. The specific content of this study is as follows. First, the program's narrative process of child counseling was analyzed. Second, verbal and visual methods expressed in the TV show through conversations were analyzed. Third, focus group interviews were conducted with six professionals in the field of child counseling. Findings of this study are as follows. First, ‘My Golden Kids’ program stories were analyzed for distortions and errors of events, exaggerated representation of characters, and solutions which omitted processes. Secondly, the analysis of the program's conversation included the use of boundary-pushing language and problem-forcing video. Third, the program was having an impact on the child counseling field. Focus group interviews revealed that child counseling professionals perceived the word 'golden' as having a negative connotation. They were concerned about the concept of a solution without a process. They were also unsure about the idea of receiving assistance. This study is alarmed by the indiscriminate representation of children in parenting advice programs. As our society actively practices children's rights, media representations of children are expected to be respectful and meaningful.