BBC "Sparking Debate on Sexism and Gender Sensitivity"
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] The Seoul Milk advertisement that sparked controversy by comparing women to dairy cows has been featured in foreign media as well.
On the 15th (local time), the BBC reported an article titled "South Korea's dairy giant apologizes for controversial advertisement." The article went on to explain Seoul Milk's apology statement and the content of the video.
The BBC stated, "Even after the advertisement was removed, internet users have been re-uploading the video, keeping it in circulation," and provided a detailed description of the video. They also included a link to the advertisement video.
The outlet explained, "The video begins with a man holding a camera wandering through a remote area," and continued, "The man hides in the bushes to film a woman doing yoga, and when he accidentally steps on a branch, the woman suddenly transforms into a dairy cow."
It added, "This advertisement sparked a nationwide debate on sexism and gender sensitivity issues," and noted that "'Molka' (illegal filming), meaning 'hidden camera,' has been a particular problem targeting Korean women."
Earlier, Seoul Milk released the advertisement comparing women to dairy cows on the 29th of last month, but after controversy arose, they deleted it and issued an apology nine days later. Seoul Milk explained, "Only 2 out of the 8 people in the video are women. The intention was to emphasize pristine nature and eco-friendliness, not to demean women."
Meanwhile, the BBC reported, "In 2003, Seoul Milk also faced fines for a performance where nude models poured yogurt on each other, with the marketing manager and models receiving penalties."
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