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

[SOTIRIOS]

.....I don't see anyone in Thailand apologizing about this:

http://www.ensogo.co.th/deals/black-man-value-1451986745-245469?sc_src=email_1661116&sc_eh=ccf46c1b159fc7e41&sc_llid=19004&sc_lid=77393584&sc_uid=2SKkLIVUJd&utm_source=productdeals&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2016-01-08+06%3A00%3A00TH_productnewsletter_active_20160108-BLACK-MAN-1200

...the full range of 'Black Man' Mops etc....

[SoFarAndNear]

It is a difficult situation. In South East Asia culture being dark/brown means that you are from lower wealth. Most people don't really prejudice black people in general but prefer being white or at least whiter then they really are.

As for myself. I have to confess that a few years back when I came to Thailand first time I ridiculed the whitening mania of Thai people but for now I must say I feel more attracted by woman with lighter skin.

I still don't have any prejudice to dark skinned people.

But a commercial which indicate that dark skinned people, especial from Africa are inferior to white should be banned. The company should be forced to make a statement that skin color does not make you a person of lower life....

Edited January 9, 2016 by SoFarAndNear

[wombat]

aint no such thing as bad advertising.

[rhodie]

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.

B & W.jpg

The black girl looks better.

[csabo]

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 ?

Obvious attempt at free publicity. There is no way the ad team could not have known the same thing happened last year.

They should have listened to Robert Downey Jr.

Edited January 9, 2016 by csabo

[Krataiboy]

What is really worrying is their inability to have realised before it ever hit our screens just how racist and offensive this ad is. Makes one wonder at the mindsets of the numerous individuals jointly responsible for cooking and basting this post-Christmas Turkey.

Edited January 9, 2016 by Krataiboy

[MaxChiendog]

Perhaps it's a case of losing something in the translation??

[Raymonddiaz]

Thailand is a third world country so we need to understand them. I hate racists they are so narrow minded and stupid.

[ddavidovsky]

Thai society at its most innocent. The ad was probably designed by post-adolescents. They think it is just fashion.

But odious as it may be, the socioeconomic forces compelling this are understandable enough. Until Africa is as affluent as the west, and the darker-skinned regions of Thailand as affluent as Bangkok, that will always be the case.

Edited January 9, 2016 by ddavidovsky

[bushwacker]

If I were a judge, I would say that the lady in black is much more attractive.

[wabothai]

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.

B & W.jpg

The black girl looks better.

An asian girl painted black. The ignant folks may want to do some reading up on the recent non-celebration of "Sinterklaas en zwarte piet" in Holland.

[dbrenn]

The scourge of political correctness, and its use by the Twitterati to to curtail free speech, has arrived in Thailand.

White skin in Thailand has nothing to do with race - it is instead a historical indication of social class within the same race. Biology dictates that people who do not do manual work in the sun retain their white skin, and in Thailand this is seen as an indicator of social class. It's no secret that Thailand is a class oriented society, and that in a class oriented society, people who are perceived to be of a higher class get more opportunities. Unfair, yes, but so is life.

Edited January 9, 2016 by dbrenn

[dageurreotype]

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

'Reignited'? Really? I'd not been aware of any 'debate'?

[dageurreotype]

The scourge of political correctness, and its use by the Twitterati to to curtail free speech, has arrived in Thailand.

White skin in Thailand has nothing to do with race - it is instead a historical indication of social class within the same race. Biology dictates that people who do not do manual work in the sun retain their white skin, and in Thailand this is seen as an indicator of social class. It's no secret that Thailand is a class oriented society, and that in a class oriented society, people who are perceived to be of a higher class get more opportunities. Unfair, yes, but so is life.

There's some merit in this post. I'd a Dutch friend who'd told me his farmer father would always cover head to toe when working outside so as to avoid being deemed a manual worker and therefore lower class. And they don't get much whiter than the Dutch

[oxo1947]

I'm not racist. Racism is a crime and crime is for black people........................

[elviajero]

The advert is bang out of order but it's just feeding the deeply rooted attitude within Thai society that dark skin reflects poverty and manual work.

They couldn't even get their forced apology right. "What we intended to convey was that self-improvement in terms of personality, appearance, skills, and professionality is crucial." ​

[stickylies]

give them a break, little ignorant people who think in black and white (pun intended):

farang drink chiang

thai people drink leo

falang chop dam

thai people chop kaow

falang eat blead

thai people eat lice

falang sokkaprok

thai people sa-aat

aso.................................

[jayboy]

The scourge of political correctness, and its use by the Twitterati to to curtail free speech, has arrived in Thailand.

White skin in Thailand has nothing to do with race - it is instead a historical indication of social class within the same race. Biology dictates that people who do not do manual work in the sun retain their white skin, and in Thailand this is seen as an indicator of social class. It's no secret that Thailand is a class oriented society, and that in a class oriented society, people who are perceived to be of a higher class get more opportunities. Unfair, yes, but so is life.

Huh? There is an obvious racial aspect to skin colour in Thailand which to some extent runs parallel to class - though all of us will be aware of many exceptions.

There is in any case no such thing as a Thai "race".Thais comprise multiple ethnicities which over time have developed a national identity.

[Evilbaz]

So people are supposing that Thai farmer's kids are born pale and only turn darm when they work the paddy>

Really?

[jaywalker]

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.

[ThailandLOS]

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.

There is no "acceptable dose of mercury" for anyone once it enters the nervous system

[chilli42]

The whole dialogue around race and color is pathetic. It eminates from our own racism to begin with. Race and color differences exist and the dialogue around them should be as affable (if required) as two freinds taking the stuff out of each other over their national differences ... a la the English vs French ... nobody cares and it's just good natured fun. Instead society has taught us that we should be offended by our own deep seated racism so we end up with a dialogue like this. How about you embrace or at least acknowledge your racist leanings as a first step to ridding yourself of them instead of expressing outrage and continuing to hide from them?

[Monkeyrobot]

So if a sun tan or spay tan company use this from of advertising in reverse to sell & promote there product are they racist?

[AdamRich]

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.

bm.jpg

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

When I first saw those mops in the store I was like what the <deleted> is this s?

[madpat]

Most comments are stupid beyond belief, there is no country left in this world where racism does not raise its ugly head and Europeans who " conquered" the majority of this planet in their land and riches grab.

[Mackie]

To all those who keep whining and complaining about racism here. Have you ever travelled across Asia? Japan - Japanese women want to have lighter skin, China - Chinese women want to have lighter skin, South Korea - South Korean women want to have lighter skin etc...etc...It is their own choice. It is their own choice to choose what they like or not. If they prefer lighter and whiter skin, so be it. You may disagree with them but trying to impose forcefully your own views upon more than 2 billion people just makes you a bigot of another kind. If you think that the war against whiteness is somehow progressive - you got it terribly wrong. It's just another form of bigotry.

[philipines]

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.

We know the blacks understand who really has the superior physical strength DNA.

[metisdead]

A post containing oversize images has been removed as it messed up the formatting of this page.

Another post containing Thai language has been removed. English is the only acceptable language anywhere on ThaiVisa including Classifieds, except within the Thai language forum, where of course using Thai is allowed.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

[dru2]

I was surprised to find that I had unknowingly been using Nivea whitening roll-on deodorant for more than a decade!

On the plus side, It may help explain my increased success in business and with women over the same period.

[davidt2007]

I wanna try these white creme....