"Civil Complaints Over 'Sexual Objectification and Regional Image Damage'"
Local Government Review Concludes "Difficult to Establish Insult Charges"
A female figure being sold under the name of "Dongtan," a new city in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, has sparked controversy due to its provocative appearance. The figure is criticized for exaggerating the recently popular "Dongtan Missy Look" meme, objectifying women, and damaging the image of the region. It has been on sale online in both Korea and Japan since January.
According to Yonhap News on May 6, Hwaseong City received over 100 related civil complaints and conducted a legal review. However, the city responded that it would be difficult to take legal action, as the case does not meet the requirements for defamation or insult under the law.
The "Dongtan Missy Look" is an online meme referring to a dress style supposedly worn by women living in Dongtan. This fashion trend emerged after 2020, when Dongtan became known as a "new town with many young couples." Originally, it referred to the stylish and youthful fashion of women living in new cities. Over time, however, the term has been distorted and is now used to provocatively describe the outfits of female celebrities.
The figure maximizes its provocative nature by featuring a tight-fitting dress that reveals the body's silhouette in detail. The price goes up to the 100,000 won range.
Previously, online users filed civil complaints through the national petition portal, requesting Hwaseong City and the local police station to stop the sale of the Dongtan figure. Their concerns were that this goes beyond freedom of expression, sexually commodifies women, and could create a negative image of the Dongtan area.
A figure currently sold under the name "Dongtan" on a Japanese online shop. Screenshot from a Japanese online shop Yonhap News
On X (formerly Twitter), posts stated, "This advertisement sexually commodifies women for sales purposes and evokes a negative sexual image of the Dongtan area," and "Dongtan should be a safe and peaceful place for its residents, but such expressions and products are causing discomfort and shame to the entire community."
Hwaseong City also reported that 125 related complaints were received over one month starting in mid-January. The city explained, "According to Supreme Court precedent, insult is established when contemptuous feelings are expressed toward a specific person or an organization with legal personality, thereby lowering their social evaluation. Therefore, the victim must be specifically identified." The city added, "It is difficult to establish insult in this case, and sexual harassment is also hard to apply because there is no specifically identified victim."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
