Seoul Secret apologizes for racist black face advert ‘White is winning’

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Seoul Secret apologizes for racist black face advert ‘White is winning’

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK:-- Seoul Secret, the whitening supplementary brand, has apologized for its latest advert with the appalling slogan, "White is winning," a racist message that has made headlines globally.

"Seoul Secret, as the rightful owner of the video clip, would like to apologize for the mistake, and claim full responsibility for this incident. Our company did not have any intention to convey discriminatory or racist messages," the statement said.

"What we intended to convey was that self-improvement in terms of personality, appearance, skills, and professionality is crucial."

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/01/08/seoul-secret-apologizes-racist-black-face-advert-white-winning

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-01-09

[Jonathan Fairfield]

'Racist' Thailand skin-whitening advert is withdrawn

BANGKOK:-- A Thai cosmetics firm has withdrawn its video advertising a skin-whitening product after it was attacked on social media for being racist.

The advert for 'Snowz' features famous Thai actress Cris Horwang attributing her success to fairer skin.

The company behind the product, Seoul Secret, issued a "heartfelt apology", saying it had not meant to offend.

The incident has reignited the debate about attitudes to skin colour in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35261748

-- BBC 2016-01-09

[PatOngo]

Losers!

[nottocus]

They are only saying sorry as they have been called out and it is bad for business but they don't really mean it.

[Laughing Gravy]

People will have to come to terms with this fact. I have heard it many times that "we are not racist. We just don't like Black people'. I have pointed this out before to the Thai people who have said this and are supposedly educated. It is a waste of time and fighting generations of prejudice. Until whitening cream and Thais in general see that respective Thai Authorities who judge the Miss Thailand, stop sending pasty white, ill looking contestants to the miss world, as they would win quite a few IMHO.

[teatree]

People will have to come to terms with this fact. I have heard it many times that "we are not racist. We just don't like Black people'. I have pointed this out before to the Thai people who have said this and are supposedly educated. It is a waste of time and fighting generations of prejudice. Until whitening cream and Thais in general see that respective Thai Authorities who judge the Miss Thailand, stop sending pasty white, ill looking contestants to the miss world, as they would win quite a few IMHO.

Well, your post could be construed as being 'racist' against light skinned people.

[leeneeds]

Great advertising strategy , free publicity all the social media and international news makers picked it up , make the apology , move on with less cost to the company and share holders for paid advertising , and still sell the product,

WHO DUPED WHO HERE ?

[BSJ]

Great advertising strategy , free publicity all the social media and international news makers picked it up , make the apology , move on with less cost to the company and share holders for paid advertising , and still sell the product,

WHO DUPED WHO HERE ?

You may well be right!

[scorecard]

Great advertising strategy , free publicity all the social media and international news makers picked it up , make the apology , move on with less cost to the company and share holders for paid advertising , and still sell the product,

WHO DUPED WHO HERE ?

Just wondering if the actual product has been tested and approved for sale by the appropriate Thai authorities.

[everett kendall]

Give Thailand 50 years and there will be a race division like the states if this "white skin is better" attitude keeps up.

As to the question of whether these creams are safe to use, some have been shown to cause cancer.

[AngelHeather]

Bigots to boot!

[godden]

I'm not racist, i hate everybody.

[Pib]

Seoul Secret knew exactly what their advert implied...their apology is two-faced.

[DeepInTheForest]

"Our company did not have any intention to convey discriminatory or racist messages," the statement said.

Of course you did. The sole appeal of your product lies in racist tropes.

"What we intended to convey was that self-improvement in terms of personality, appearance, skills, and professionality is crucial."

Self-improvement as in skin color. Uh-huh.

Can we get past the mindset that these companies deliberately encourage, in order to get a market for their products?

Stay tuned... the arc of history is long. I would love to see these companies go belly up.

[Dublin]

Whats all the fuss about color is irrelevant, always seems to me the people who make the fuss are the bigots

[Dustdevil]

Give Thailand 50 years and there will be a race division like the states if this "white skin is better" attitude keeps up.

As to the question of whether these creams are safe to use, some have been shown to cause cancer.

Please, don't compare the US to Asian racism. Despite the problems you see on the news, Korea and Japan are far more racist. The only reason you don't know about it is, those countries are so homogeneous that there's no critical mass of minorities to result in racist incidents. Perhaps the same is true of Thailand.

[SiSePuede419]

Skin lightening cremes can cause your skin to get thinner:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/skin/Pages/Skinlightening.aspx

Thin skin makes you look old.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/293870-what-makes-skin-get-thin-very-old-looking/

Where's all them old, White women at?

555

Edited January 9, 2016 by SiSePuede419

[Lupatria]

Great advertising strategy , free publicity all the social media and international news makers picked it up , make the apology , move on with less cost to the company and share holders for paid advertising , and still sell the product,

WHO DUPED WHO HERE ?

Just wondering if the actual product has been tested and approved for sale by the appropriate Thai authorities.

"One white covers three uglinesses" (jap. Proverb)

In Singapore, they sold products from China under the counter as "Rosedew" (Hong Kong) and "La Rose Blanche" (Paris) mixed in Chinese poison kitchens that exceeded the allowable mercury content between the 9.000- and 65.000 times the approved content. Using these products you may as well drink directly from the thermometer!

The acceptable dose of mercury, as stated by China’s "Hygienic Standards for cosmetics", is one part per million (1 ppm).

Looking at all the stuff one can buy in every pharmacy here, I wouldn't be surprised if these products are available here.

[FinChin67]

This is not only in Thailand but China, South Korea, Japan etc. like this. Just ignore and get used to it. It's huge business and it will not go away. There are bigger issues than a skin whitening cosmetics..

[scorecard]

Whats all the fuss about color is irrelevant, always seems to me the people who make the fuss are the bigots

?

[taony]

What's with the stupid name of the company. What's it have to do with Korea. Use the word soul. Plays on words only work if there is some kind of connection, not just any two random rhyming words.

[helpisgood]

Whats all the fuss about color is irrelevant, always seems to me the people who make the fuss are the bigots

It sounds like you are a good person, and hopefully more people can be as colorblind as you.

The fuss is caused by a belief that such ads feed the perpetuation of a prejudice against darker-skinned people. In Korea, there is an old prejudice that such people must be from a lower social class. It's believed that the darkened skin is caused by having worked long hours in the fields doing farming. In fact, it is not uncommon to see women taking a walk during the summer wearing some kind of UV shield covering their faces. This same prejudice also extends to people of African descent. I recall that there's a Korean epithet about black people that is, of course, a disparaging comment about their appearance.

With that said, I will also add that Korea is filled with many very descent and kind people who do not share this prejudice. If you ever need a true friend, a Korean friend is among the best. Nevertheless, as in many other societies, there always a few who are not so enlightened. They should take lessons from people like you.

[ratcatcher]

Seoul Secret knew exactly what their advert implied...their apology is two-faced.

"........their apology is two-faced."

Just like the photograph they used........one white,one black. Only difference is it's the same ugly girl in both pictures.

[sanukjim]

How many people remember that DARLIE TOOTHPASTE was before the name change DARKIE TOOTHPASTE ? The name was sued here in Thailand up until about 2000.Ofcourse I had to buy several and give them to my black friends back in Texas.

[Pib]

Skin lightening cremes can cause your skin to get thinner:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/skin/Pages/Skinlightening.aspx

Thin skin makes you look old.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/293870-what-makes-skin-get-thin-very-old-looking/

Where's all them old, White women at?

555

Silicone and Botox killed them off.

[LannaGuy]

they say 'sorry' because they 'have to' but racism is endemic in Thailand (much like xenophobia) Thais are simply 50 years behind the rest of the world with regards to human rights, women's rights and equality in the eyes of the law

[ratcatcher]

How many people remember that DARLIE TOOTHPASTE was before the name change DARKIE TOOTHPASTE ? The name was sued here in Thailand up until about 2000.Ofcourse I had to buy several and give them to my black friends back in Texas.

Don't forget to take a couple of these with you to keep the maids happy.

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=black+man+cleaning+products+thailand&espv=2&biw=1024&bih=610&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjL-bS23pvKAhXVBY4KHVyFCf0QsAQILg&dpr=1

[z42]

I'm lost, what do skills and professionality have to do with skin whitening products and their perceived benefits exactly.

Anyone??????

[khun custard]

Yep, skin color is Thainophobia 101

What ever happen to the '70's Tanned, Tight and Thai being Terrific?

Perhaps within the brand name "Seoul" it has a cross purpose/subliminal message... a bit of a before and after their northern neighbors drops the next H Bomb

Edited January 9, 2016 by khun custard

[scorecard]

I'm lost, what do skills and professionality have to do with skin whitening products and their perceived benefits exactly.

Anyone??????

Add to that, what connection is there between skin whitening creams and knowledge, best usage of that knowledge, creativity, positive on the job behaviors and good on the job attitudes. None whatever.