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excitinghead
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
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 Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:21 am Post subject: Lolita Pizza |
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How else to describe this commercial? Remember that two members of the band are only fifteen:
http://www.mncast.com/player/new_fullPlayer.asp?movieID=10009961520080401170916&lp=-1&chkNum=1
Personally, I think Koreans' refusal to acknowledge that the Wondergirls have become sex symbols, and are marketed as such, makes them able to get away with breaking normal broadcasting rules, no matter how blatantly. Can anyone image an adult doing those "dance moves" in a commercial on primetime Korean TV?
"But these girls are innocent and pure, it's just clean fun, only you dirty perverted foreigners would think that there's anything sexual to it..."
Sigh.
An irreverent guide to Korean social issues:
http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/ |
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ardis
Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:33 am Post subject: |
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| I've seen a lot worse commercials in the US involving teen sex symbols, so...this one seems pretty damn tame. None of them are wearing revealing clothes and the dancing isn't even what I would consider provocative (you'll find a lot dirtier at any middle/high school dance). |
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excitinghead
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:53 am Post subject: |
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Oh, come off it!
Those orange shorts are pretty damn high, and girl wearing them is virtually feeling herself up too. There's also the girl in the pink shirt thrusting her chest forward, and especially the pelvic thrusts by all of them at the end. You can't get much more blantant and obvious than that.
I admit, I'm more annoyed by Koreans refusing to acknowledge them for what they are than what they're doing per se. And sure, tame stuff compared to what goes at many school dances. But this is TV, and 15 is just too young for that. Hell, 17 too. And are there really ads in the US on primetime TV with girls that young simulating sex?
An irreverent guide to Korean social issues:
http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/ |
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Gamecock
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:02 am Post subject: |
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| Of all the problems in Korea, this gets your panties in a wad??? Lame. |
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excitinghead
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:11 am Post subject: |
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| Gamecock wrote: |
| Of all the problems in Korea, this gets your panties in a wad??? Lame. |
Well, ever wondered why it's statistically more likely for a Korean woman to be a prositute than a doctor and a lawyer and a teacher combined?
Sorry if you think it's lame. Maybe I should have started the 1711th thread about how Korean beer sucks instead...would that have been okay?
An irreverent guide to Korean social issues:
http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/ |
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esetters21
Joined: 30 Apr 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:21 am Post subject: |
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They must have changed the commercial in the link that you provided.  |
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Gamecock
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:19 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Well, ever wondered why it's statistically more likely for a Korean woman to be a prositute than a doctor and a lawyer and a teacher combined? |
Yes, you're right. The wondergirls are to blame for prostitution in Korea.  Forgive me for being naive. |
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Smee
Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:51 am Post subject: |
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| I think excitinghead realizes there are bigger problems in the world than a girl band unknown to all but 50 million people. But the sexualization of teenagers is a perfectly legitimate gripe, especially as a teacher. My middle school students did "sexy dances" at the school festival . . . and yeah, I didn't bring it up or say anything at work because I know exactly how my coworkers would respond: that I'm disgusting and perverted for even suggesting 14-year-olds are being sexual. I think a lot of the hate for the Wonder Girls among foreigners was overblown---old people complaining about young people---but look at all the TV ads they're on . . . can't tell me their handlers aren't playing up their sex appeal. |
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Gamecock
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:51 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I admit, I'm more annoyed by Koreans refusing to acknowledge them for what they are than what they're doing per se. |
In all seriousness, isn't it possible that the reason you don't see Koreans "acknowledging" the wondergirls as underage sexual objects is because they honestly don't see them that way? Much of what you identified as blatantly sexual, including the short skirts, would be identified as "cute" by Koreans.
In Western cultures, we have seen the sexualization of children rise as a serious problem, but for the most part (with of course a few horrific examples) Korea does a very good job at protecting underage women. Anyone who has taught Korean teens knows that in many ways they are much more innocent than their western counterparts, which is a good thing. And unlike Japan, or some other Asian countries, Korea seems to be greatly lacking in "lolita" fetishes. It could be that Koreans ACTUALLY do see the wondergirls as innocent, and it's perhaps you who can't see through your western perspective.
Prostitution in Korea has been a problem for a LONG time for a myriad of reasons. I think feminism in Korea should be fighting on other fronts if they really want to deal with this problem...but perhaps I'm all wet. |
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excitinghead
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:51 am Post subject: |
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| Gamecock wrote: |
| Yes, you're right. The wondergirls are to blame for prostitution in Korea. Forgive me for being naive. |
Why are you back? I thought you said this thread was lame?
Besides which, I never said that anyway. I implied that commercials like the one I link to may be one of many factors, but I guess that was too subtle for you.
FYI, Korea has one of the biggest teenage prositution industries in the world, and it's growing. Sure, it predates the Wondergirls, but 15 year-olds wearing revealing clothing and simulating sex acts on TV certainly won't help. It's both a symptom of it and a new cause.
For more on teenage prostitution on Korea, see here:
http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2006/10/dasepo-girls-and-conservative-korea.html
An irreverent look at Korean social issues:
http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/ |
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Gamecock
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:58 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I implied that commercials like the one I link to may be one of many factors, but I guess that was too subtle for you. |
I'm sorry, but there was no "implied" about your response. You fired back that it was the reason...not one of many factors.
If that article is accurate, I do agree it may be a bigger hidden problem than i realized. |
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Tiberious aka Sparkles
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:00 am Post subject: |
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They're dancing, what's the big deal?
"Ooh, that one girl's shorts are too, um, short."
Like teenagers in the west don't dress like that.
Anyone who gets turned on by that ad has their own problems. What, kids aren't allowed to dance? |
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Scotticus
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:37 am Post subject: |
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| Gamecock wrote: |
In all seriousness, isn't it possible that the reason you don't see Koreans "acknowledging" the wondergirls as underage sexual objects is because they honestly don't see them that way? Much of what you identified as blatantly sexual, including the short skirts, would be identified as "cute" by Koreans. |
Yeah, tell that to my 15 year olds who have gotten felt up by older guys on the subway. I'm sure they'd agree that they're seen as "cute" and not sex objects at all.
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And unlike Japan, or some other Asian countries, Korea seems to be greatly lacking in "lolita" fetishes.
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Hahahahaha. Yeah, those Burberry men aren't there for the underage girls, they're just big fans of school architecture.
Gamecock, I nominate you for "Most Adorably Naive Waegookin" award. |
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excitinghead
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:44 am Post subject: |
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Gamecock, what I said was "ever wondered why...etc. etc." If you think that that means "the wondergirls are to blame for prostitution" then I guess I can't convince you. But judging by this...
| Gamecock wrote: |
| In all seriousness, isn't it possible that the reason you don't see Koreans "acknowledging" the wondergirls as underage sexual objects is because they honestly don't see them that way? Much of what you identified as blatantly sexual, including the short skirts, would be identified as "cute" by Koreans. |
...then I'm honestly not sure that you understand "advanced" English, for want of a better word for it. FYI, "not acknowledging as..." means "Don't see as..."
| Gamecock wrote: |
| In Western cultures, we have seen the sexualization of children rise as a serious problem, but for the most part (with of course a few horrific examples) Korea does a very good job at protecting underage women. Anyone who has taught Korean teens knows that in many ways they are much more innocent than their western counterparts, which is a good thing. And unlike Japan, or some other Asian countries, Korea seems to be greatly lacking in "lolita" fetishes. It could be that Koreans ACTUALLY do see the wondergirls as innocent, and it's perhaps you who can't see through your western perspective. |
Protection from physical violence, maybe. Protection from sexual violence and/or exploitation? Hell, no. I suggest you do some research, because I think you have a very naive view of teenagers and of the sex industry here.
In Korea, sexual images sell, just like anywhere else. And in the TV and advertising industry, every choice of clothing and dance move is very deliberate. I doubt anyone who's posted so far would disagree that short skirts, for instance, are put on an 18 year-old in a pizza ad for any reason other than to titillate male viewers. Why does this logic suddenly not apply because we're talking about a 15 year-old instead of an 18 year-old? Am I "Western" if I suggest that it remains? Am I imposing my Western perspective on things to point out that it's almost always the youngest one, 소희, that dresses and dances the most provocatively? Oh wait, sorry, that's just random...and stroking her breast in a pizza ad? Awww, how cute!
I guarantee that Koreans that find such clothes and behaviour in the Wondergirls cute, would not think the same if it was performed by, say, a younger Britney Spears. But she is considered slutty and the Wondergirls considered cute because most Koreans refuse to acknowledge that Korean teenagers can be sexual beings. Amongst other things, the consequences are abysmal sex education, a lack of easy access to contraception by teenagers, a huge abortion industry, and a full awareness of but refusal to acknowledge and deal with the scale of Korea's teenage prostituiton industry.
An irreverent guide to Korean social issues:
http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/ |
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Freakstar
Joined: 29 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:53 am Post subject: |
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| Gamecock wrote: |
| Of all the problems in Korea, this gets your panties in a wad??? Lame. |
Seriously. This country has way bigger issues than a pizza commercial featuring The Wondergirls.
I want some pizza now! 
Last edited by Freakstar on Sat Apr 19, 2008 4:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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