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More racial insensitivity, this time Korean Air
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hogwonguy1979



Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: the racoon den

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:30 pm    Post subject: More racial insensitivity, this time Korean Air Reply with quote

Saw this on twitter yesterday now Al Jezzera is picking it up

http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/korean-airlines-failure-launch-0022250

some people will never learn
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T-J



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


It was a misunderstanding based off bad translation. KAL has already apologized and removed the content. Really not a big story.

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cj1976



Joined: 26 Oct 2005

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Haha that is funny. It's like seeing people wearing a t-shirt that says "I love the co*k", but on a much larger scale. I don't think there was any malicious intent though.
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busanliving



Joined: 29 Apr 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's a shame there are no native English speakers in the country who could have proof read it for them.
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lowpo



Joined: 01 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

T-J wrote:

It was a misunderstanding based off bad translation. KAL has already apologized and removed the content. Really not a big story.



When Koreans do catch a bad translation mistake then they are afraid to tell their bosses.
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radcon



Joined: 23 May 2011

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

T-J wrote:

It was a misunderstanding based off bad translation. KAL has already apologized and removed the content. Really not a big story.



I wonder what the writers were originally trying to say- which was badly translated and misunderstood into "primitive energy."
They could have just used the cartoon character of the little black boy with an afro and a bone through his nose that's in the text books here.
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KimchiNinja



Joined: 01 May 2012
Location: Gangnam

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Meh I don't consider "primitive energy" to be a bad thing, but people are touchy. It's just a word game, change it to "energetic culture" or whatever.
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T-J



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

radcon wrote:
T-J wrote:

It was a misunderstanding based off bad translation. KAL has already apologized and removed the content. Really not a big story.



I wonder what the writers were originally trying to say- which was badly translated and misunderstood into "primitive energy."
They could have just used the cartoon character of the little black boy with an afro and a bone through his nose that's in the text books here.



The original Korean was 원시(原始)의 에너지.
If you go by a Korean English dictionary "primitive" is the first word you will get. It is much closer in meaning to "original".

They (KAL) sadly meant this in all likelihood as a compliment and it went horribly wrong.
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Seoulman69



Joined: 14 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I see a lot of Kenyans find it funny. It remains an embarrassing mistake for Korean Airlines though. If they have changed it and made an apology then that should be the end of it.
The difference I see is that MBC refuse to acknowledge their mistake and apologize.
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KimchiNinja



Joined: 01 May 2012
Location: Gangnam

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seoulman69 wrote:
The difference I see is that MBC refuse to acknowledge their mistake and apologize.


Maybe we should riot. I'm always down for a good riot, free on Thursday @ 5.

Whoever doesn't get arrested buys beer & chicks.
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jondepoer



Joined: 02 May 2010

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"beer and chicks"

We talkin' about food or girls here?
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Seoulman69



Joined: 14 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Maybe we should riot. I'm always down for a good riot, free on Thursday @ 5.


You go for it. I'll join in later, (maybe).
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Captain Corea



Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not really that bothered by the term 'primitive energy'. I'm sure there could be better word choices, but that by itself isn't so bad (in my books).

If they said 'primitive people', I'd be much more bothered.
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Son Deureo!



Joined: 30 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It doesn't really matter if we're offended by this, CC, their target audience where they ran the ad was very offended by it and that's bad business. Sure, they apologized and pulled the ad, but if they'd bothered to run this by a native speaker for proofreading they could have saved a lot of money and bad publicity. I guess some people just need to learn the hard way.
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Adventurer



Joined: 28 Jan 2006

PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Captain Corea wrote:
I'm not really that bothered by the term 'primitive energy'. I'm sure there could be better word choices, but that by itself isn't so bad (in my books).

If they said 'primitive people', I'd be much more bothered.


You're not Kenyan or African or an indigenous person. It probably appeared that many Africans who used to be colonial subjects of England and France found it offensive. It reminded them of the era of colonialism and people looking down on their ancestors as primitive.

Even if the original intended meaning was used, it could be viewed as the wording was focusing on tribal Africans and tribal aspects of Africa. It would be like saying "Experience the party life of Rio Brazil and watch the indigenous Amazonians running around with a lot of raw energy." I think some native groups would object to that. The text focuses on stereotypes. People should be careful when dealing with indigenous people and using them for marketing, IMHO. I think it would be kind of problematic no matter how they translated it in a way. I don't think there was any malicious intent, but you have to watch what wording you use and video images you use regarding other cultures. It's the era of globalization. You have to care about how others will perceive things.


Last edited by Adventurer on Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:22 pm; edited 2 times in total
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