A Korean protests use of foreign models

[Hater Depot]

Too many white faces in Korean ads? Yep, says one Munhwa Ilbo reader.

http://koreabeat.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/too-many-foreign-models/

These are the things we wear and eat, so shouldn’t we have them adapted to our way of life? They’re not being exported to other countries, and even our traditional cultural products are having foreign models appearing for them.

....

Of course from the perspective of the person selling things hiring thin and low-paid foreign beauties is a good strategy to cut costs.

Even so, when you take the long view the result could be to gain something small and lose something great.

I guess this is a bit of a counterpoint to the reporter who was so happy white people thought that Korean chick was hot. Anyway, consider this also a shameless plea to start reading and commenting on my new group blog, dedicated to interesting Korean news translated to English.

[theme]

hater, how small a minority is that kind of view in korea? I know it can't be all that common amongst most south koreans, particularly of the newer generation.

[SamuraiJack]

hope it spreads...

white people would never put up with here what people in Asia willingly embrace...

[Hater Depot]

I really don't what most people think about the issue at all. A couple of times I did ask some friends why all the underwear models are white, they answered either that Korean models don't want to do that work or that white people have better bodies. I did ask a couple of the Japanese teachers at our school and they acted puzzled I thought it strange.

[kwak76]

actually to native asians they just got used to it.

If all of sudden Madison Avenue decided to use allot more asian models in ads people here in the states will notice and say what's up?
in asia they just got used to it.

white models been around long ass time in Asia. I think if you take the white models away in Asia than you may get people talking.

[Lum]

Perhaps there's more dignity in modelling cellphones (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/in-vino-veritas/lg-wine-phone-but-you-can-call-it-the-cv300-262048.php).

[Dimeron]

Well, I know a lot of people from China think that Asians can never have the kind of body white or black people have, for both men and women. And that in general, Asian men are not as muscular and Asian women are flatter.

Which as we all know is untrue. But it is very hard to change pre-existing perception. I remember back a lot of my family talked about how Asians would never beat the black or the white in raw Athleticism. Until that Liu Xiang broke the hurdle world record.

So I say kudos to this guy to try to change.

Then again, some of those foreign models could be just that natives want some exotic eye candy.

[Scowl]

Perhaps there's more dignity in modelling cellphones (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/in-vino-veritas/lg-wine-phone-but-you-can-call-it-the-cv300-262048.php).

She looks scared.

[Harangue]

Who really cares about foreign models? At least all the media stars in Korean are ethnically Korean and look Korean (ahem, Thailand...). Even the one big Hapa star, Daniel Henney, looks very Korean.

Models are just talking mannequins, so who really cares about them?. And for a Korean clothier like Bean Pole that tries to evoke the Anglo refinement of Ralph Lauren, it may be easier for them to get their point across by employing a clean-cut White model than an anime-haired Asian metrosexual.

[SamuraiJack]

Who really cares about foreign models? At least all the media stars in Korean are ethnically Korean and look Korean (ahem, Thailand...). Even the one big Hapa star, Daniel Henney, looks very Korean.

Models are just talking mannequins, so who really cares about them?. And for a Korean clothier like Bean Pole that tries to evoke the Anglo refinement of Ralph Lauren, it may be easier for them to get their point across by employing a clean-cut White model than an anime-haired Asian metrosexual.

Except that they're all trying to achieve a western standard of beauty, by having eyelid surgery, nose surgery, dying their hair. Basically making themselves as white as they can get while still passing as Asian. Just replace the eyes on many of these models and they'll look white.

Models are not just mannequins, they form and shape what society thinks is beautiful. If the facial features are closer to a Caucasian appearance, the result will be a misguided love for Caucasians in general.

[Harangue]

Except that they're all trying to achieve a western standard of beauty, by having eyelid surgery, nose surgery, dying their hair. Basically making themselves as white as they can get while still passing as Asian. Just replace the eyes on many of these models and they'll look white.

Models are not just mannequins, they form and shape what society thinks is beautiful. If the facial features are closer to a Caucasian appearance, the result will be a misguided love for Caucasians in general.

Don't fall into the trap into thinking that any Asian that doesn't fit some kind of Fu Manchu caricature is not really Asian. Many Koreans naturally have the double eye-lid, as well as relatively defined noses. Other Koreans who want this look are trying to emulate the other half of the Korean population, NOT some unobtainable Caucasian ideal. Do fashion magazines from Milan have any influence? Absolutely. But what about White women who get breast implants? While there are certainly plenty of White women who have big chests, curvaceousness is largely a Black/Latina stereotype. Are these White women abandoning their comparative flatter race? No. Also, in all but the most extreme cases, an Asian double-eyelid eye still looks distinctly Asian.

And Korean male stars are largely unaffected. Look at some of the biggest names like Joo Ji Hoon, Rain, or Lee Jun Ki. Granted, there are undoubtedly some guys who opt for a few surgical changes, but it's not drastic.

[CJF]

To be fair, the top female models in the US are mostly latin and black.

But for male models, being white is an advantage.

[Harangue]

To be fair, the top female models in the US are mostly latin and black.

But for male models, being white is an advantage.

Male models aren't as famous or appreciated as their female counterparts, but Tyson Beckford (mostly Black, some Chinese blood) is the most well-known contemporary male model, so I don't being White is that big of an advantage.