1 week Ago By [email protected](KoreaTimes)
Naver Webtoons “Another World Pong Pong Man” and “Get Schooled” / Captured from Naver Webtoon By KTimes Naver Webtoon, Korea's largest webtoon platform, is facing backlash after controversial works featuring misogynistic and discriminatory content were approved during its screening process, leading to public criticism and calls for boycotts. The recent backlash began when "Another World Pong Pong Man," a webtoon that portrays a man discovering his wife's infidelity, passed the initial screening for Naver Webtoon's 2024 Global Webtoon Contest. The story presents women in a derogatory light, depicting them as manipulative and deceitful.
The title is derived from a misogynistic term, "pongpongnam," meaning an ordinary man who gets married to a woman who seeks financial stability rather than love and companionship. Pong Pong itself is a reference to a popular detergent brand in Korea, symbolizing the man's role in caring for a woman whose love has washed away. Since the webtoon's debut in September, it has faced ongoing boycotts, particularly among young women.
Naver Webtoon recently saw a drop of around 200,000 daily users from its usual 2.2 million, largely due to boycotts over the controversial webtoon. In a related incident, on Nov.
7, fans of actor Kim Nam-gil issued a statement urging him to avoid participating in the TV adaptation of "Get Schooled," a webtoon frequently criticized for promoting racism, misogyny and support for corporal punishment in schools. Responding the next day, Kim declined the role, saying, "If it makes many people uncomfortable, it's best not to take on such a project." A statement issued by actor Kim Nam-gil's fans urging him not to participate in the TV adaptation of the webtoon "Get Schooled.
" Yonhap, and screenshot from X Despite mounting criticism, Naver Webtoon has offered a minimal response, saying that it is "aware of the opinions surrounding the work" and is moving to the second screening round. Users felt further provoked when Naver posted a message on social media appearing to mock the boycott movement, which prompted the Webtoon Authors' Association to issue a statement condemning the platform's dismissive attitude. This selective approach has raised accusations of bias, as Naver Webtoon previously made swift changes to scenes deemed offensive to men in other works, such as modifying a scene in "Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.
" Cultural critic Sung Sang-min said, "Whether due to revenue concerns or internal bias, Naver Webtoon appears to prioritize its male audience, raising questions about its social responsibility as a leading webtoon platform." A protest truck opposing the webtoon "Another World Pong Pong Man" is parked outside of Naver's headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Captured from X Meanwhile, Naver Webtoon's "Get Schooled," which is being adapted into a drama, has also stirred controversy for depicting scenes of violence and discrimination.
The webtoon follows government agents who physically discipline problematic students and teachers to enforce respect for the authority of teachers. The poster for the webtoon "Get Schooled" / Courtesy of Naver Webtoon In 2021, the series faced harsh criticism for depicting violence against a feminist teacher, sparking accusations of misogyny. Last year, it drew further criticism from international readers for an offensive portrayal of a black student, resulting in its removal from North American platforms.
However, the production company YLAB announced plans to proceed with the drama adaptation, citing the webtoon's popularity. Critic Sung said that "these issues are bound to influence the drama's adaptation, yet the production company has neither issued a statement nor shared plans to address these concerns, demonstrating a lack of alignment with the global movement against discrimination and hate." This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
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