Sony's Official Weibo account banned for insulting a Chinese war hero
Newsletter February 2, 2023
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1. Sony's Official Weibo account banned for insulting a Chinese war hero
On the death anniversary of Qiu Shaoyun, who chose to be burned to death in order to protect his comrades during the Korean War , Sony's Official Weibo account posted an image of a dog's head surrounded by yellow flowers petals, believed by many to resemble the image of the martyr surrounded by flames. Criticisms from Outraged Chinese netizens poured in, and the original Weibo post was later deleted by Sony in an attempt to calm public discontent.
It is not the first time that foreign companies have stirred controversy over what Chinese consumers saw as insensitive behavior.
“These brands need to raise their awareness regarding Chinese political correctness. They need to show the same level of sensitivity as they do to anti-Semitism sentiment or anti-black racism.”
A Chinese netizen said.
2. Taiwan Bans Noodle that Says "You are Chinese"
Taiwanese authorities became a trending topic on Chinese social media on January 18th, when it banned noodles made in mainland China, citing protection of domestic products. The packaging of one specific brand of noodle reads
“You are Chinese, I am Chinese, round it all up, you are mine,”
which many believe to be the offending slogan that caused the ban. The slogan which was originally meant only to poke fun at cheesy love quotes in mainland was seen by Taiwan authorities to take on a nationalistic implication when the noodles were smuggled onto the island. The ban led to a surge of sales as mainlanders showed support through additional purchases.
3. Controversies over Cultural Appropriation Damage South Korea-China Public Relations
A longstanding debate over the usage of “Chinese New Year” versus “Lunar New Year” has reignited as the British museum celebrated Korean Lunar New Year online. It resulted in a group of Chinese international students gathering in the museum to bring light to the history of Chinese New Year. Tensions were equally high on the side of Korea. K-pop singer Danielle Marsh was harshly criticized when asking her fans what they were doing for Chinese New Year.
Over the years, there have been multiple controversies over the origins of traditional food, clothing and festival between the two countries. Both were accused of cultural appropriation by the other side in heated online debates. Some Chinese netizens have expressed outrage by labeling South Korea as the “Thief Country.” In 2005, South Korea’s Gangneung Danoje, a festival originated from China, was designated as a UNESCO World Intangible Heritage in 2005, a watershed moment in Chinese sentiment change toward the Koreans.
