Parody of "Pelvic Dance" in Short Skirt with Bedroom Backdrop Sparks Controversy over Gyeongnam Education Office Video

Parody of Trending "Pelvic Dance Challenge"
Video Deleted and Apology Issued Amid Growing Controversy

The Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education uploaded a promotional video parodying the trending online "Pelvic Dance" on social media, but deleted it after controversy grew.

Recently, the Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education posted a promotional video on its official Instagram account, featuring the phrase "Is it because my pelvis won't stop moving?" along with footage of a woman in a short skirt shaking her hips. The video was produced against a virtual backdrop resembling a bedroom and was designed to prompt viewers to choose whether they "watch" or "do not watch" Gyeongnam Education News.

Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education posted a promotional video parodying the trending online "Pelvic Dance" on social media but later deleted it. The video was uploaded on the official social media account of the Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education. Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education Instagram

This content was a parody of the online "Pelvic Dance Challenge," which became popular after idol group members participated in it. The video description included hashtags such as "Pelvic Pain," "A Disease Where the Pelvis Won't Stop," and "Your 'likes' make the PR team's pelvis shake even more." However, criticism arose that a public education institution had undermined its dignity by utilizing this meme. In particular, subtitles in the video included phrases like "Is it because my pelvis won't stop moving?" and "Please choose." The background music used was "Miniskirt" by the group AOA.

The Gyeongnam branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union stated, "This video clearly objectifies women and seriously damages the dignity of a public education institution," adding, "It is hateful content that uses women as sexual tools to attract public attention." They continued, "Wearing attire that objectifies women and performing a pelvic dance is not part of the work of education office staff," and argued, "This blatantly shows how complacent the Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education is regarding gender equality and human rights. We strongly urge the office to face this shameful reality and demonstrate fundamental change as soon as possible."

In response to the strong criticism, the Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education deleted the post and stated, "Although our intention was purely to promote Gyeongnam Education News using a meme, there were inappropriate aspects in the way it was expressed. We take the criticism regarding the inclusion of gender-discriminatory images very seriously." The office also added, "As an educational institution, we should have prioritized the values of gender equality and respect for human rights, but we sincerely apologize for causing discomfort. We will thoroughly manage future production processes to ensure there are no elements of human rights violations or gender discrimination."

The Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education announced that it would accept all four demands made by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union: deletion of the problematic post, an official apology and measures to prevent recurrence, strengthening of gender impact assessments for promotional materials, and gender sensitivity education for all staff. The office added, "We will take this incident as a painful lesson, reflect a gender-sensitive perspective throughout our administration, and do our utmost to realize human rights-friendly educational administration."