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Seoul Milk is currently under heavy fire from South Korea's general public after their latest controversial ad depicting women as cows.
The advertisement, deemed "misogynistic" for its portrayal of women and its supposed encouragement of spying, has been taken down along with Seoul Milk relaying an official apology for their actions.
Seoul Milk removes the controversial video from YouTube following heavy backlash
Seoul Milk has shocked Korean citizens after their latest advertisement, which depicted women as cows and supposedly encouraged "stalker-like" behavior.
In the advertisement, a man is seen secretly filming a group of people practicing yoga poses and stretching in an open field. He accidentally alerts them to his presence and when he looks away from his camera lens towards the field, he realizes that all of them have turned into cows.
South Korea has faced a major epidemic of molka cases, which is the Korean word for miniature cameras illegally installed in various areas in order to film people. The problem with molka has spread all over the country, with many women finding hidden cameras in public restrooms, changing rooms, and even in their own apartments.
In 2018 alone, nearly 6,800 cases of spycams were reported, with the number increasing day by day. Protests have erupted on several occasions to bring attention to the issue, which has taken the lives of many teenagers and adults owing to the mental distress caused by the situation.
The depiction of the man in the advertisement secretly filming the group of people was one major reason for upsetting netizens, as it allegedly depicted spying on people in a light-hearted manner. In addition, Seoul Milk's depiction of women turning into cows was said to be insensitive.
After the severe backlash they faced from locals, the company released an apology on its official website (translation via Korea Times):
"We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable seeing our milk advertising video uploaded on Seoul Milk's official YouTube channel, Nov. 29. We are taking the matter seriously and will take more careful measures to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future. We once again bow our heads and apologize to all consumers who felt uncomfortable with this advertisement."
Seoul Milk is regarded as the number one milk producer in the country. Having existed for over 70 years, it is considered a household name.
The brand has collaborated with a large number of Korean celebrities throughout its history for its promotions, including Song Joong Ki, Kim Yu Jung, BoA, Lee Sung Gi, and Yeo Jin Goo.
