In Arab and international TV series, it's not uncommon for an onscreen couple to hug or kiss in specific scenes, but that's not the case when it comes to Khaleeji dramas.
GCC countries are considered ultra-conservative and for decades that has prevented Gulf filmmakers and actors from featuring any PDA between onscreen couples.
However, a Saudi TV series that has been airing on OSN network, seems to be shaking things up.
Titled A Cold Summer (Sayf Bared), the teledrama has been deemed controversial by thousands of viewers and was canceled for a short period of time before its episodes resumed airing again earlier last month.
Last week, a clip from one of the drama's episodes showing an onscreen hug between Saudi actors Nermin Mohsen and Shaifan Al Otaibi went viral online.
The hug is sending Khaleeji tweeps into a complete meltdown
Soon after the snippet started circulating online, it sparked a social media storm, with thousands of angered viewers attacking the show's creators and actors who appeared in the scene.
Amid the backlash, many have called on OSN to cancel the run of the show. The network has not yet responded to the ongoing controversy.
Some were shocked by the scene
"Nermin Mohsen!"
Others were left completely speechless
Saudi tweeps were outraged over the hug
"We started hugging and kissing on TV!"
A few posted tweets attacking Mohsen for appearing in the scene...
"If you did this in a TV series, what would you have done if you were acting in a film? Is this the message you want to send to viewers?"
Others took things further, accusing her of not being Saudi
"Nothing frustrates me more than Nermin Mohsen claiming she's Saudi in every one of her appearances. Everyone is defaming Saudi women nowadays."
Many called on authorities to punish the show's creators
"It's not enough to cancel the show or stop it from airing, authorities must punish the series' director, producer, writer, and this actress, who keeps claiming that its episodes portray the lives of Saudi women."
But some did point out the absurdity of all the backlash...
"I am going to die of laughter, you're upset because Nermin Mohsen hugged her costar in a scene? You don't even know anything about acting. What she did is the epitome of professionalism, she played her character and did everything written in the script even though it violates our stupid society's rules."
The show's run has been anything but smooth
A Cold Summer didn't have a smooth run on TV, to say the least.
It was first broadcast under the title Saudi Women, as its plot is based on Saudi novelist Sarah Al Eliwi's novel of the same name.
However, after backlash from Saudis who accused the series of defaming Saudi women, the name was changed.
Though it continues to generate high ratings, the show continues to be criticized by many.