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| TvN series "Vincenzo" has faced criticism after showing the main character having bibimbap, a Korean rice dish, from China. Courtesy of tvN |
By Lee Gyu-lee
The tvN series "Vincenzo" has faced criticism after screening its latest episode where its main characters are seen eating bibimbap ― a popular Korean rice dish.
In Sunday's episode, a scene showed the two lead characters ― Vincenzo (Song Joong-ki) and Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-been) ― having instant bibimbap cups together. But as the camera zoomed in on the cups, the brand of its Chinese sponsor, Zihaiguo, an unfamiliar name to most Koreans became visible.
The product placement backfired with many viewers slamming the network for featuring the Chinese appropriation of the Korean dish.
Such criticism comes in light of the recently rekindled cultural feud over kimchi between Korea and China. Recently, Chinese state-owned media outlet the Global Times claimed the Korean staple side-dish is a variation on Chinese's picked vegetable dish called "pao cai," prompting anger among some Koreans.
"What is this Chinese bibimbap product placement? Now they (Chinese) are going to argue that bibimbap is a Chinese dish," a viewer wrote online.
Another viewer wrote, "If the network just sells placement to Chinese companies for quick money, wouldn't (foreign) people who watch this series think bibimbap's Chinese food? This is a serious issue … I know money is important but this is taking it too far."
Some viewers defended tvN for its effort to cover the 20 billion won ($17.6 million) budget of the show.
"Maybe (the network) had no choice because Chinese companies were giving so much money to buy product placement," another person wrote.
This is not the first time tvN has raised domestic viewers' collective ire through controversial product placement deals with Chinese companies.
The comedy romance series "True Beauty" has recently come under fire for excessive advertising of Chinese products and brands, placing banners of the e-commerce firm JD.com in bus stops and showing characters eating Chinese instant hot pot.
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